


once more, with feeling

by seatoriver



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Personas (Persona Series), Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Comfort/Angst, Eventual Relationships, F/F, M/M, Minor Suzui Shiho/Takamaki Ann, Persona 5 Spoilers, Persona 5: The Royal, Slow Burn, Time Travel Fix-It, also might add more tags as i update
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 68,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24938377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seatoriver/pseuds/seatoriver
Summary: "So…" Akechi started, breaking the silence. "What do you think of Tokyo so far? I know you only just got here, but you know, I am quite curious."How does Akira tell him that it's exactly as he remembered and yet so very different? As if he was coming home again but as a ghost, a stranger to all he loved dearly. How could Akira even begin to tell him how guilty he feels for being here, leaving his team behind from who knows where, all because he sacrificed his life for the same man walking beside him? How does he tell him that he just wants to go home ― not to his hometown, not to Leblanc ― but back to a time where he actually felt like he belonged for once?"It's different," Akira simply said, because it was the truth.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 43
Kudos: 265
Collections: Quality Persona Fics





	1. In which Akira finds himself alive, revived as a 16 year old once more.

The first thing Akira felt when he stepped foot on Tokyo was an overwhelming feeling of guilt. In fact, it was so much so that he immediately felt lightheaded as soon as he was on the train platform. Shortly after, there was a rush of memories of another time that felt so long ago and yet so vivid like it had only occurred yesterday. Memories of his beloved Phantom Thieves, the grand and lavish heists in palaces, his many trusted confidants, and Goro Akechi... He recalled them all, up until the most recent point where he somehow met his demise by the hands of his rivaled ace detective. 

Well, not exactly; Akechi did shoot him but he shot Akira's cognitive self. Akira, by some sick, twisted karma, was shot by Shido's cognitive version of his one and only son. Trying to remember the memory felt so painful but Akira forced himself to recall it more clearly. It was after Akechi's cognitive self had suggested for someone to take his place to die when he recalled the sudden urge to step in. He moved in front of Akechi's battered form, facing his cognitive self as he cocked the barrel of the gun on Akira's chest. Everything from that point on was lost to him and he could only recall the vague feeling of chills down his spine as he watched Akechi's cognitive self unwaveringly pull the trigger. Then he was on the ground, staring back at nothing but his cold, crimson eyes as the sounds of his name from so many familiar voices were drowned out to silence. _What went wrong?_ he wondered to himself before his consciousness seemingly fades into the void.

Akira suddenly feels the strong urge to vomit and quickly doubles over as he tries to suppress the waves of nausea. All he got from that was a couple of looks of concern from nearby passengers but otherwise, no one bothered to help. Of course, nobody did. This was a city full of thousands and thousands of people with things to do and places to see, and not one of them had the time to check if he was alright. In this timeline, he was nothing but a nobody again, just a scrawny teenager with a glaring criminal record.

"Hey, are you alright?" someone asked him. "Can you hear me?"

He feels a hand on his back and Akira tries to find the strength to look up, only to find himself face to face with none other than the very source of his distress: Goro Akechi. Akira's instincts suddenly kicked into gear, pushing himself away from the detective and landing onto the floor. Akechi looked at him as if he had just seen a ghost and was utterly speechless. When Akira realized that nearby passengers had stopped to watch them, he quickly grabbed his bag, scrambled to his feet, and ran into the crowd before muttering a hurried 'Sorry!' to the detective. He could hear Akechi call out for him to stop before it was quickly drowned out by the noise of an oncoming train. 

Akira ran and ran until he felt his legs were about to give out, finally collapsing onto a nearby bench. The world was spinning all around him―or was it his head?―and Akira just wanted it to stop. It took a while for him to catch his breath and when he did, the nausea seemed to have worn away as well as the vertigo. He slumped on the bench, head turned up towards the sky. There were tall buildings everywhere, which were undoubtedly department malls and office buildings. People were bustling everywhere and the city had never been more alive. Akira vaguely recalls reading a map earlier detailing "Shibuya Station Square". Somehow, he had found himself right where he almost needed to be without needing to look for it. 

He sighed and sat up straight, massaging his temple. What was Akechi doing in the station earlier? Well, he supposed it wasn't that strange for the detective to be there, he did bump into him there quite often in his past life. Maybe even suspiciously so. But more importantly, what was he doing there _now_? As far as Akira knows, he didn't remember meeting Akechi that soon in his life before. Even still was the fact that he was nearby the moment he was out of the subway train carriage. It couldn't have been just some weird coincidence, could it?

As much as he wanted to keep speculating, Akira gave him the benefit of the doubt. It was a big city, after all, and he supposed it wasn't that strange to bump into someone he knows. Or knew. It was getting kind of hard to get used to matching the past versions of people in his past life and his current one now. Essentially, he was nothing more but strangers to every single one of them. He wonders how he's going to act once he meets them all for the first time, supposedly more reserved. Akira feels a little bit sad at the fact that he won't be able to greet them as fondly as he did before because of it.

He quickly checks the time on his phone which reads exactly eight in the morning. If his memory serves him right, this was almost close to the time where the Metaverse Navigator app would be mysteriously downloaded on his phone, courtesy of the elusive Igor. Akira gets up from his bench and walks towards Shibuya Crossing, mindlessly following the crowd.

The crossing was packed with people everywhere as Akira could only barely get by without bumping into someone every few seconds. He gripped the phone tightly as he waited for any sign of the app to appear, careful not to let it fall. As soon as he neared the middle of the crossing, he slowed his steps to a halt and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

He waited until this point, where he recalled seeing the people's bustling coming to a stop and the red ping of notification would alert his attention to his phone. He was supposed to tap the app with no luck, and look up only to find himself face to face in the distance with a fiery blue aura of his masked persona, Arsene. It was supposed to have been the mark of the beginning of his long and treacherous journey in the life of a Phantom Thief.

Instead, Akira was greeted with the buzzing noise of Tokyo, his phone dead silent in his hand.

* * *

Akira spent the rest of his day roaming around Tokyo. He went to all the places nearby that he could directly recall from his memories. It was a strange feeling to walk the streets of Tokyo with a fresh mind as well as feeling like he was back home. He found that his feet would automatically take him to places he had visited only in memory. It was as if he was possessed or sleepwalking awake. 

He visited Shinjuku's Red Light District and passed by a closed Crossroads. 

He went to the church in Kanda, half expecting Hifumi there and only remembered that she played shogi at night. 

He walked around Kichijoji, wondering if the bubbly Kasumi was around and kicked himself when he remembered that she was a transfer student, too, and she wouldn't be here until a few days after him. 

Then, he went back to Shibuya Central Street and passed by Untouchable, sneaking a peek inside at Iwai leisurely flipping a magazine. Akira wonders if he should risk going in and saying hi to him but thinks better of it. Iwai doesn’t know him after all and would only most likely give him the cold shoulder. It’s not like he was in need of any model guns anyway, hobby-wise, or Phantom Thief purposes. 

Nobody had any clue as to who Akira was here and he didn’t know if he would ever quite know them the same now. 

Akira trudged the rest of the way to the station and headed for Yongen-Jaya. He couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling as if he had lost something that he would never be able to get back. He knows it’s not completely hopeless though; after all, he knew where everyone was and it was only a matter of time before he got acquainted with Ryuji and Ann. Who knows, maybe Igor was delaying giving the app to him and perhaps it would get triggered once he and Ryuji stumbled into Kamoshida’s Castle. It had to come then, right?

By the time he got to Leblanc, it was already seven in the evening and he found that he had already finished his top up on his commuter pass. Sojiro was definitely going to kill him if he asked for any money to refill it but he supposed he wouldn’t really mind if he did. He already died once, why not one more time? Maybe then, he could use it as a wakeup call and realize all of this was just some bad dream and he never actually died and that nobody had forgotten all about him. 

If only.

He hovered in front of Leblanc for a few minutes, summoning the urge to seem as normal and plain as possible. Not that he needed to try as hard anyway; he was reliving a reset after all. Akira sighed once for dramatic effect and steeled himself before walking in, only to stop in his tracks altogether. An all too familiar brunette was sitting by the countertop, nursing a black mug with what Akira imagined contained coffee because what else does Leblanc serve? 

Of course, Akechi was here. 

Akira was starting to rethink giving him the benefit of the doubt earlier and decided that he most definitely was a stalker. Except for the glaring fact that stalkers usually know exactly who they were stalking. And Akira was living a reset with newly recovered memories of his past life. Realistically speaking, Akira had never even met him before in his life now. So why the hell was he here?

As soon as the chime of the bell reached Akechi, he looked up from his drink only to do a double-take, practically choking on his drink. If Akira had looked at him for a bit longer, he’d have noticed, after his small coughing fit, Akechi's look shifted to one of relief. Instead, he looked away from the elephant in the room and was greeted by a stern Sojiro, arms crossed, and everything. 

Oh boy, here comes his inevitable smackdown.

“Hey, you’re the kid aren’t you? Akira, was it?” Sojiro asked, tapping his finger on his arm. “I was wondering when you’d show. I thought you got caught up in another assault or something. Lord knows you don’t need any more convictions to your name.”

Ouch. Akira loved Sojiro but he could be harsh when he needed to be, especially when Sojiro had no clue as to who he was.

“Yeah, sorry I’m late. I got lost.” Akira said lamely. “Big city, country bumpkin. What can you expect?”

“Well I’m glad you had fun playing the tourist but I hope you don’t forget that you’re on probation right now. You’re not exactly in any position to be wandering around freely you know.” 

Akira knows that all too well by now, possibly because nobody would stop reminding him about it every time he so much as spoke. That was the case in his past life and he’d hoped it wouldn’t be the same for now but he supposed that was just wishful thinking. He could do nothing but endure it all over again, shutting his ears out to the background noise.

Sojiro sighed when he noticed Akira had gone silent, seemingly resigned. “I’ll let it pass for today because you just got here. But only for today. Starting tomorrow, I want you back here before the curfew I’m instilling. Any more than that and you’re out, understood?”

“Yes, Bo―sir.” Crap, that was close. He almost got too familiar with him.

Sojiro scratched the back of his head, oblivious to his slipup. “Just call me Sojiro. I appreciate the formality but it’s always been weird to me.”

“Boss, is he the student you were talking about before?” The elephant in the room asked patiently. 

Oh, so Akechi was on familiar terms with Sojiro now, huh? Nevermind the fact that Sojiro was comfortable enough to talk about him, too, criminal record and all because screw confidentiality. Akira might as well just walk around with a sign taped on his head saying "CRIMINAL". It wouldn't make a difference either way.

“Yeah, he’s the one. He’s going to be living here starting from today.” Sojiro explained. “Oh, Akira, this is one of my regulars, Goro Akechi. He comes here often so you might see him around a lot. Best to be acquainted now.” 

Great, Akira was definitely looking forward to that.

“I can’t help it, the coffee here is just too good to shy away from. I promise I’ll try my best not to bother you too often,” he beamed, all too proud. “Still, what a strange coincidence. I didn’t think we’d meet again so soon. You were the one who was stumbled over at Shibuya Station, right? I’m sorry if I scared you then.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Maybe you mistook me for someone else?” Akira said, playing with his bangs a little, mostly to avoid looking at him directly. He eyed Sojiro who had discreetly excused himself in the kitchen to make a phone call. Probably to report to the probation officer about Akira’s attendance. He tried to telepathically tell him to hurry up and show him his room already if only to avoid talking to Akechi more but all he got out of it was just his back. 

Damn. If Akira wasn’t going to be given any Persona powers anytime soon, he might as well have settled for telepathy. Too bad Igor’s powers were only centered around Persona’s, he really should’ve expanded his capabilities more.

Akechi chuckled a bit, breaking his concentration on his telepathy. “I don’t believe so. I’ll have you know I have quite the good memory. I could never forget someone like you, especially with the unruly hair and all.”

Haha, very funny. So he was already comfortable enough to be poking fun at his appearance. “If you’re trying to get me to cut my bangs, it’s not working. Also, I’m actually trying to go for the opposite effect so I’m sorry that you can’t forget a nobody like me.”

“That’s ridiculous, you’re far from being a nobody,” Akechi said, his tone serious all of a sudden. Then, realizing what he sounded like, he feigned a cough. “I mean, you are just starting over here, right? That’s something, at least.”

Akira appreciated the sentiment, truly, but he couldn’t bring himself to really believe him. He wished it wasn’t bothering him this badly and yet he can’t help himself. In the span of one moment, his slate was wiped entirely clean and he had reverted back to the beginning of his life, one that seemed to deviate from everything he once remembered.

When Akira didn’t say anything, Akechi continued, albeit a bit hesitant. “But really, are you alright? You didn’t look so good earlier.”

“I told you, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m just dandy. Why would I be anything less than that?”

“You two already met before or something?” Sojiro, who was now done with his phone call decided to join the conversation, except with no intention of changing the subject. Maybe his telepathy does work save for the fact that it's delayed and the recipient won't necessarily know what he tells them. It'll do for now, it's certainly better than nothing.

“Well, I saw him at the station earlier where I found him hunched over and green. He doesn’t think we’ve met but that can’t be right. I don’t usually mistake people.”

“Huh, that right?” Sojiro hummed, eyeing Akira a bit, who just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

“Yeah, well. Can’t be helped. If it’s not him, then I guess I can’t return this. You know, since it’s definitely not yours.” Akechi said, holding out a familiar black wallet.

Akira widened his eyes, immediately searching his bag for his own wallet only to find it not where it was supposed to be. His pants pockets ended up being empty, too, save for his commuter pass which he smartly decided to keep outside of his wallet out of choice and not because he forgot to put it back or anything. It must've fallen out when he pushed Akechi away or he stole it from him. The latter was starting to sound more appealing to him than the former.

“That could be anyone's.”

“Alright, if that’s the case, the ID I found in here is for a doppelganger then, one that eerily looks similar to you, right, Akira Kurusu?”

“Okay, maybe I do remember seeing you on the subway earlier,” Akira said, quickly retracting his statement. “Sorry, it’s been a long day for me.”

“Right. Touring Tokyo.” Akechi gives him a knowing look.

Akira scoffs and snatches his wallet from his stalker, checking to make sure that it was truly his. He wasn’t lying, the plain boy on the ID could only belong to him, shaggy hair and all. “Thanks. Good thing you don’t indulge in identity fraud or anything, huh?”

“Hm, I think I’d rather stay myself as is, no need for the change. I’m quite satisfied with myself.” 

Akira doesn’t know how much of that is true right now and he’s not sure if he even wants to find out. Trying to figure that out would be like opening a can of worms except they weren’t worms at all, they were vicious, tiny snakes. He decides he's just about had enough of this conversation and turns to Sojiro. “Um, it’s nice to meet you all and everything but do you think you can show me upstairs? I probably have a lot of cleaning up to do.”

“Huh, you got that right. It’s like you know what your room is like already or something.” Sojiro said, raising an eyebrow.

Shoot, Akira was too busy trying to get away from Akechi that he forgot about trying to seem clueless. “Just a hunch. Or my third eye. It’s hard to tell these days.” Akira ignored the fact that Akechi was burning holes through him with his stare.

“You use your third eye for foretelling what your room is going to look like?” Akechi asked him.

“Mmmhm,” Akira hummed slowly, emphasizing the “mm” if only to get him to stop talking to him.

“Well, enough of that. It’s just this way.” Sojiro said, heading for the stairway. “I’ll just be a moment Akechi.”

“Oh actually, if you don’t mind, can I come with you guys? I’ve always been curious as to what’s been upstairs this whole time.”

Yes. He absolutely minds. The elephant stays down here.

“Sure, come along but I'm afraid you’re going to be thoroughly disappointed. There’s no mystery upstairs or anything. It’s just an attic, after all.”

“That’s exciting enough!”

Akira decides he should really hone up on his telepathy skills later.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The attic was just how he remembered it to be except with more dust bunnies and cobwebs than ever. Otherwise, it was his former or soon to be, he wasn't sure yet, base of operations that was mostly bare-bones at this point. His one stack of box he had from his hometown was sitting on the floor. He really didn't bring that much save for his minimal wardrobe, some books and a lot of processed food. Unpacking it would be a breeze but cleaning up the room would probably take him the whole evening. Save for his box, the floor was filled with dust and in the corner was two large garbage bags which he hoped didn't actually contain trash. Looks like he had his work cut out for him.

"Don't give me that look. I know I haven't cleaned this up in ages but I didn't exactly expect to be housing a criminal anytime soon." Sojiro said. "Or at all, even."

"I was just going to say that it's bigger than my room in my hometown," Akira said, kneeling down to open his box of storage. "I'd give it a solid ten but alas, no door."

"And no heater," Akechi added because he really needed to emphasize how shit his room was. Well, too bad for him he actually liked his attic room. It was cozy and certainly different from a regular bedroom, just minus the privacy. The point is he had a lot of good memories here, ones he'll probably never be able to get back. 

When he struggled to get the tape ripped off the box, Akechi handed him a box cutter from who knows where, he didn't bother to ask. Akira mumbled a small thanks before proceeding to stab it open.

"Well, feel free to leave if you're going to afford to complain." Akira shook his head vigorously at that which earned a small chuckle from Sojiro. "Good. But really, that's all you brought here with you?"

"Yep, the good ol' essentials. This bad boy has everything I need to survive in Tokyo." Akira said, patting his box which replied with a satisfying thump. "I even got that book, Tokyo For Dummies. Everything I need to live crime-free in this city."

"That can't be real." Akechi scoffs because he just loves second-guessing everything Akira does. 

It's true he didn't have a book called that. Instead, they went with a more generic name along the lines of "A Beginner's Guide to Tokyo", a little something Akira bought from a secondhand bookstore in his hometown. But Akechi just wouldn't leave him alone, let alone have his fun. Sojiro muttered something to him along the lines of "At least he's trying" to which Akechi only nods.

"Alright, if you say so. Honestly, I'm glad I only had to lug one box upstairs. I'd probably have reconsidered letting you live here if you had multiple." Sojiro started rubbing his shoulders. "My back can only take so much nowadays."

Akira wondered if Sojiro would take up his offer in giving him a back massage but he imagined he wouldn't be too thrilled since it's coming from a guy ― with a criminal record to boot! He was allowed to boast about it though, his skills were no joke especially when he was taught by his to be ― or was it former? ― homeroom teacher, Kawakami. His skills might've been rusty after going through a reset but he hoped his memory would be enough to do it.

"Yep, good thing I'm low maintenance," Akira said, nodding absentmindedly.

Sojiro chuckled at that. "Oh no, you're far from it kid. I'm keeping you under my surveillance to make sure you're not getting into trouble."

"Cool, watch me all you want. I'm going to be the most boring kid on the planet. No tomfoolery here." Okay, maybe he was trying too hard.

The poor old man just sighed at that and massaged his forehead a bit. "Geez, you're so witty. It's hard to believe you were actually charged for assault."

Akira kept his mouth shut at that. Akechi only stared at him curiously.

"Anyways, I'll leave you to it then. Tomorrow we're taking a visit to your highschool, Shujin Academy. Make sure to behave yourself until then." He then turns to Akechi. "Well, that's all the attic was. We should probably let him clean up the place."

"Actually, if you don't mind Kurusu, I can help you tidy up. It would be a lot faster with two people right?" Akechi asked, glancing at him.

No, he absolutely minds. Akira was exhausted from running around Tokyo, being stalked by Akechi and also the overbearing fact hovering around his head that no one remembers him. Frankly, he just needed some time alone right now. "Um, I'm good actually, thanks. I'm sure you have other stuff to do right now so don't worry."

"Hey, he's offering here. Just let him help you. Akechi's kind enough to even bother." Sojiro said, patting Akechi's back.

"It's no trouble. I'm quite free right now and it's not every day a customer helps you out with cleaning your room." Akechi gave him one of his signature tv show smiles. He could almost hear the phantom laughter of the audience somewhere but Akira wasn't laughing.

"Well, you heard the boy. You should take from his example. He's a good kid." Sojiro said, making his way to the stairs. "Who knows, you guys could even become friends? You two already seem to be getting along quickly."

And tolerate more of his irritatingly handsome mug? No, thank you. 

Besides, he's already seen how the "friends but not really" thing played out before and that ended with a bullet lodged in his cognitive self's skull. Of course, Akira didn't blame Akechi at all. He wasn't even angry about it. He was just... sad. After all, he underestimated how far Akechi was willing to go just to achieve his goal. When he waited for him in that underground interrogation room, Akira had never wanted to be more wrong in his life. But when he came, he still couldn't help but feel betrayed anyway. In failing to stop Akechi's betrayal on time, Akira felt like he essentially betrayed himself.

"Friends, huh? It's only been a day since we met but you know, I really wouldn't mind that. If it's you." Akechi said, sounding all too eager. "Just a hunch."

"You and your hunches..." Akira mumbled, wishing Akechi could even begin to comprehend the dilemma he was going through right now.

"I'd tell you to do better Akechi, but even I know this guy could use the company. Watch him for me in the meantime, alright?"

"You got it, Boss!" 

Sojiro, for the love of god, please don't leave Akechi alone with him just yet. He wasn't even mentally ready for what could happen. And anything could happen when it comes to Akechi.

The old man promptly takes his cue to leave, leaving the two teenagers in the attic. They both glance at each other.

Akechi gives him a smile. "Shall we?"

Akira only grunted back. "We shall."

The two got to work with Akira cleaning the wooden shelf beside his bed while Akechi swept the floor. Surprisingly, the two worked in silence, albeit a slightly awkward one. Akira didn't mind, he felt like he wasn't really in the mood of humoring anyone at the moment. And he found that he was actually kind of glad for the help considering how sluggish he felt. He really overestimated how tired he was because now every inch of his body was desperately screaming for a bed. 

At least while he was working on the shelf, his back was turned to Akechi so he didn't have to look at him. Frankly, Akira didn't know what to think of him yet. He didn't exactly have any time to come to terms with his death―it was only just this morning that he was suddenly hit by this realization. Of course, he didn't blame Akechi. It wasn't his fault after all. For whatever reason, something compelled him that day to step in and save him. He didn't even have any time to think of a plan or anything before he found his feet already moving. Despite experiencing the consequences of his actions, Akira found that he strangely felt that he didn't regret doing it. Hell, he'd probably do it again given the chance but preferably without the dying part.

Yes, Akira would save Akechi again if he could.

But why?

That was a good question but Akira didn't quite have an answer for it. He just felt like it was the one thing Akechi needed after everything the detective had gone through. It was just as he said, if only they had met sooner. If only someone had stepped in to help him, then maybe it wouldn't have come to that. Akira found that if no one was going to take the chance then he might as well be the first, and supposedly the last.

So, no, Akira doesn't think he hates Akechi. Far from it, really. But deciphering how he felt about the detective now would probably deplete all of his mental energy so he decided to push it to the back of his mind. He'll have plenty of time to deal with that later. For now, he had an attic to tidy.

Since Akechi apparently didn't want to leave him alone yet, he left the garbage bags on the staircase and told him they'll take it out last. Akira grunted again in response. There was only the sound of the broom brushing the floor and the shuffling of books.

The shelf was filled with miscellaneous books and weird knick-knacks. At some point, he sat down on the floor and started sifting through them. He probably spent more time looking through all the books rather than organizing them. Every time he found an interesting one, he'd read through it for a bit before remembering he was supposed to be cleaning. Eventually, the shelf was finally emptied and Akira was left to stare at his work.

Looking at the bare wooden shelf, he felt a strange sense of loneliness. In his other life, he remembered keeping all his various presents from his friends and showcasing them here. His room in his hometown was pretty bare, too, so having any sort of decoration around made Akira happy. He supposed he could just buy them all back but it wouldn't be the same as having been given one as a gift. If he doesn't have the Metaverse App, he won't have any excuse to meet with any of his friends and confidants. Then, he'd really have no one and everything to show for it. Akira wonders when exactly he turned into such a pessimist. He wasn't always like this, was he?

Akechi noticed that he had stopped cleaning and stood beside him. "Everything okay? You look a little spaced out."

"Yep, dandy…" Akira mumbled to the shelf, a bit dazed. "Just thinking."

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Sorry, I charge five dollars for that."

"What? Why does it cost so much?" Akechi chuckled.

"It's not that much. It costs more if you want my opinions though." He paused. "It's like podcast long. I have a lot to say about stuff, okay."

"Hm, I'll keep that in mind." 

Akira heard the sound of what he imagined was the broom being set on the floor before he saw Akechi sitting down beside him, shoulders almost touching. Akira was too tired to really care about the close proximity. He was busy pretending to study the shelf while Akechi was not so subtly studying him.

"So…" Akechi started. "Criminal record, huh?"

Wow, Akechi was great at starting conversations.

"Yep."

"May I ask what happened? I know it's a bit rude but I just―you don't really look like the type to do anything deserving of such."

"Thanks but you know what they always say. It's always the ones you least expect it from." Akira chuckles dryly. He really doubts Sojiro didn't already tell him the whole gist of it judging from their interactions. Akechi just probably wanted to hear it coming from the horse's mouth probably to verify… something, he didn't know what. "Besides, didn't Sojiro already tell you all about me, oh precious customer?"

"Wh―Well, okay, fair enough." Akechi coughed, blushing a bit. "It was just in passing though. All he really told me was he was taking someone in due to an offense they made. He didn't go into the nitty-gritty of it."

"Huh." Well, Sojiro has a weird way of respecting privacy. He has no problems reminding Akira that he was a criminal every few seconds but he won't bother telling people about the supposed crime he's done. "Well, I don't really know what you want to hear. It's not all that interesting."

"That's not it. I don't care about that." Akechi said, shaking his head. "I just―um―well, I think you've probably had it rough handling it all by yourself and I want you to know that whatever you tell me, I will take it as the truth and nothing but that. I'll believe you."

That was, quite frankly, awfully nice of Akechi to say. It was almost uncharacteristic of him that he had to double-check that he was indeed talking to the Goro Akechi, Charismatic Ace Detective, and Mental Shutdown Killer Extraordinaire. Akira doesn't think he's ever remembered Akechi ever doing anything remotely… intimate, to say the least. Come to think of it, why was he being so nice anyway? As far as Akira recalled, Akechi hated his guts, so much so that they were pretty much-sworn rivals. They still had that unfinished duel they promised to each other in his past life, which he'll probably never be able to continue. Thinking about the Akechi he left behind in his memory made Akira's chest hurt for some reason.

The more he thought about it, the more he remembered that this was technically a different Akechi from what he remembered. Of course, he couldn't have hated him yet, they've only just met. Besides, wasn't one of the reasons why he hated him was because he had things he didn't have? Friends, strength, and the willpower to keep going―Akechi said it himself that Akira was somehow more special than he would ever be. Well with the way he was starting over right now, couldn't it have been more accurate to say that they were equals?

"Thanks," Akira mumbled, barely audible enough for Akechi to hear. He took off his glasses to wipe them with the hem of his shirt, mostly just to keep himself occupied as well as avoiding his gaze. "Um, well, as Sojiro said, it was an assault. I was going home from work when I witnessed a man forcefully taking a woman to his car. I tried to separate them but somehow the guy fell on his own, enough for him to bleed. Then, he just lost it and filed a lawsuit on me. And of course, my school wouldn't have that so they kicked me out. And now I'm here. So yeah."

"That's unforgivable! You didn't even lay a hand on him but you were still somehow wrongfully convicted? Since when was saving someone from harassment a crime?" Akechi said angrily, shaking his head in disbelief. "And what of the woman, the supposed victim?"

"Well, she told the court she saw me push him and that pretty much sealed the deal. I figured he probably bought her silence or something." Akira put his glasses back on and started tapping his finger on his leg. "I don't blame her. The guy must've been pretty influential to pull something like this. She would've been just as ruined if she spoke out for me."

"I don't care for someone who would rather save their own hide than taking the risk to save someone else," Akechi said quietly, looking at Akira straight in the eye.

Despite the conviction he had in his tone, he could see Akechi had a genuine look of worry on his face. He had his hands folded together on his lap and was sort of half twiddling with his fingers, possibly due to nervousness. Akira had never seen him like this before―because of course, he didn't, this was only their second meeting―but he meant in his past life. He couldn't recall anything in his past memories of Akechi expressing concern towards him of all people. After all, it was mostly banter and camaraderie (if he was even allowed to call it that) between them. 

Up until the engine room in Shido's Palace, he could only somewhat get a grasp on who Akechi really was. He knew underneath all the false smiles and false pretenses was something Akechi didn't want anyone to see, something he was forced to unleash that day in the palace. When Akechi explained that everything he had done was built up for his revenge plot against his father, Shido, Akira immediately understood. Rather than feeling betrayed, he sympathized with him and a strong feeling of regret sprouted somewhere in his heart. Regret for not doing more to be there for him, regret in overlooking Akechi's unbridled rage. When Akechi was shouting about how unfair it all was, Akira couldn't help but notice the clear divide between them, the Phantom Thieves behind his back with Akechi across from them, all alone. Had their circumstances been flipped, Akira could've easily been in Akechi's position as Akechi was to his.

It _was_ unfair. 

But Akira desperately wanted to believe it wasn't too late for him. Perhaps that very thought was what prompted him to step in front of him as he did, and unknowingly take a bullet for him. He wondered what the look on Akechi's face was when it all happened. Was it the same one he had on right at this moment? Akira doesn't think he'll ever know the answer to that.

Still, if this were the old Akechi, he'd have said something along the lines of it was naive of him to do as he did. That it was better to save yourself rather than depend on something like trust or friendship. So what in the world happened to lead Akechi to say something like this now? And did he really mean the words he was saying?

After a minute of silence, Akira finally looked him right in the eye and gave him a smile, a real one. "Thanks. Really."

Akechi only looked away, a hint of red tinting his cheeks. "It's fine. I only said what I thought."

"Yeah, well, that's me. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk," Akira said, moving to get up, dusting off his pants. He knows that he wasn't exactly new to conversations such as these in his other life but this was technically the first time he's ever sat down like this with someone as he is now. Come to think of it, Akira recalls never having actually told Akechi about his probation situation before in his other life either. He was kind of glad the detective was taking it well, perhaps too well, even. But he didn't really want him to know that; they were still technically strangers, after all.

Akechi looked like he was about to say something more before Sojiro's voice bellowed from the stairs. "Hey, boys, dinner's ready! Come ea―oh, what're these bags doing here? It's blocking the stairs."

"It's my makeshift door. Or people blocker." Akira said, quickly grabbing the two hefty bags. "I think it's working pretty well."

"Yeah, well, make it stop working. It's a fire hazard." He said, sighing a bit. "Those are just some old supplies I never got around to throwing out. Don't forget to sort them instead of chucking it all away."

"You got it, Boss." Akira grunted as he walked down the steps. Sojiro raised an eyebrow at him wordlessly.

"Wait, hold on! Let me help you." Akechi exclaimed from behind him prompting Akira to walk down the steps faster.

"I got it, I'm a strong boy." He huffed, walking across the cafe and quickly shuffling out the Leblanc door. "Start eating without me!"

Behind him, he could hear a sigh of frustration, most likely from Sojiro. "Go help him out. I don't think he even knows where the trash is."

Once outside, he lowered the bags of trash for a bit to catch his breath before quickly raising them again when he sees Akechi out the door, too. "Stop being stubborn and let me help. Give me one of the bags."

"No."

Akira was practically waddling down the street with two bags of garbage as if he was Santa Claus, except if he was younger, and instead of presents he gave out trash.

"Kurusu, stop. You look ridiculous right now." Akechi said, trying to tug one of the bags off his shoulder.

"Ho, ho―fuck. Okay fine, take one." He dropped the bag that Akechi was pulling, only because it was actually hurting his back. So much for being young and healthy. He wonders how he was ever able to do backflips in the palaces in his other life because he certainly can't do them now.

Now, there were two people waddling down the street with garbage bags. Akechi was leading in front with Akira lagging behind. In truth, Akira knew exactly where the garbage bins were but in order to feign ignorance, he let him lead the way.

"We look like two poorly disguised robbers that just finished a heist," Akira commented, huffing between breaths.

"If that's the case, we're probably the slowest thieves in history," Akechi said who sounded like he was also having a hard time carrying his baggage. Akira felt a little satisfied watching the detective struggle in front of him.

"Hey, you know, that could be a great idea for a garbage company. 'We steal your trash so others don't have to!'. It could even work for an actual thief business." 

"That sounds corny."

"Well, that's because you can't enjoy good things." Akira discreetly made a face at him from behind. "Honestly, all we're missing is the flashy costumes and grappling hook and we'd be good for business. How about it, want to be partners in crime?"

"Hmmmmm." Akechi hummed, with one too many mmm's to emphasize his (annoying) deliberation. "You know what, that does sound fun, but perhaps another time. Incarceration isn't exactly an ideal pastime for me right now. I have an image to uphold, after all."

Geez, Pleasant Boy Akechi really wasn't any fun at all.

  
  


* * *

"That took you two long enough. The curry is probably cold by now." Sojiro greeted them, his hand resting on his hip in a signature Sojiro move.

"It's not my fault you have a lot of priceless junk." Akira took out an old board game from his garbage bag, which is still carrying some of the said junk. "You were just going to throw this away? This is like gold!"

"It's because I've outgrown that sort of thing but feel free to keep it if you want." He sighed. "Wait, is that why it took you so long?"

"He wanted to comment on each trash we were sorting and decide whether he wanted to keep it or not." Akechi the snitch explained.

"You didn't have to tell him." Akira shot him a glare to which he only shrugged. "Come to think of it, aren't you overstaying your welcome? It's like you practically live here."

"Hey, don't be rude. Akechi can stay as long as he wants. And besides, we're not closed yet."

"Ugh, please close it already," Akira muttered as he slumped down by the countertop. "Well, at least it smells good."

"It better. It's our cafe specialty." Sojiro grinned with a smug look on his face. "Akechi, you eat up, too. It's on the house for helping this idiot."

"I could've done it without him you know," Akira said, giving him the stink eye.

Akechi only smiled at him, seemingly amused. "You're very welcome."

Akira only sighed. He felt like he was going to lose all his energy trying to get Akechi off his back. Well, at least the food was as good as Akira remembered it to be, better, even. As soon as he took the first bite, Akira just started wolfing the meal at a rapid pace.

"Woah, slow down boy. You're going to hurt yourself." Sojiro said.

With everything he's done today, he completely forgot that he never had anything to eat for the majority of it. Only now when he had a good plate of curry in front of him did he remember his hunger. Akira felt like he could eat a bucket of Sojiro's curry. He knew Akechi was most likely staring at him with an incredulous look but he ignored it.

"Sorry―this is just―really good," Akira said between bites before promptly choking on his food. He immediately reached for his water which he tried to drink hurriedly, spilling some on his shirt.

"You idiot, you shouldn't have spoken with your mouth full," Sojiro said, grabbing some napkins and handing it to Akira which he accepted gratefully.

"God, you're a mess. I know the curry is delicious but please don't kill yourself with it." Akechi was now patting Akira's back in an attempt to make him feel better. He tensed up to the touch, immediately forgetting his near-death experience.

When Akira finally gulped his water down with no coughing fit, he looked at Akechi, albeit a bit warily. "That's actually an indicator of good curry."

"Really? Choking on curry?" Akechi asked incredulously, the skeptic that he is.

"Not just any curry. _Good_ curry." That was important. Akechi only rolled his eyes at him and retreated his hand. Guess he didn't even have any good comebacks: one for Akira, zero for Akechi.

Sojiro sighed. "I appreciate you enjoying my food―maybe too much even―but I'd prefer if you don't die while eating it. It's bad rep for my business."

"It's not my fault the curry is so good," Akira mumbled, shoveling more curry in his mouth at a slower pace.

In truth, he really did love Sojiro's curry. It was like home to him. Akira had never had the luxury of having homemade meals before and this was the closest he could get to one. Only now when he had slowed down to eat could he properly appreciate the food. He'd be lying if eating his curry didn't almost make him want to cry. The only thing stopping him was remembering the fact that a certain detective was seated not even one foot away from him. And Akira would rather die (again) than let him witness him crying.

"Your curry is as delicious as always, Boss," Akechi commented, giving Sojiro a sweet smile. Akira resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Thank you, Akechi," Sojiro said, smiling at him.

"Showoff," Akira muttered to himself and quickly finished his food. He took his plate to the sink and began washing it, knowing Sojiro liked it when he cleaned up after.

"Huh, at least you know your manners. What do you know?" Sojiro hummed in approval. Two for Akira, zero for Akechi.

"Yeah, but he ate like a horse," Akechi said but Akira only ignored him by turning the tap water louder. It backfired though because some of it splashed him, soaking his shirt. "Um, your shirt is wet."

"I meant for that to happen." Akira finished washing up, turning around somewhat gracefully, and gave them a smile. "Well, thank you for dinner Boss. It was great. I'm gonna try to finish cleaning my room for today."

"Oh right, I'll help you sweep. I was almost done. Just give me a sec." Oh for the love of―why is Akechi being so irritating and yet helpful at the same time?

"You _really_ don't have to." Akira mumbled, rushing upstairs to beat Akechi to it. He could hear the clatter of the plate in the sink and the sound of the tap turning on.

Good, he could totally finish cleaning by the time he's done. 

Akira got to work and started dusting the cobwebs all over, coughing because he forgot to wear a mask for that. By the time he was done, he heard Akechi coming up the steps.

"I think this place is really starting to come to."

"Mhm," Akira said, not even bothering to look back.

Akechi picked up the broom he had placed on the floor earlier and began sweeping in silence. Akira unsheathed the tarp covering the work desk and began wiping it down neatly. After that, the only thing left to do was change the bedsheets and pillows and his room would basically be livable. As he began to remove the old pillowcase, he snuck a quick peek at Akechi. He was looking the other way and was busy sweeping the floor. It was strange, he really looked just as he remembered. His hair was still long, his height, everything; just as beautiful as ever. God, he really was here, wasn't he? Akechi looked almost better than he did in his other life. Yes, he was practically one and the same.

… Except for the glaring fact that Akechi didn't have any gloves on. Akira had somehow overlooked it the entire day because he was too busy feeling guilty and running away from the detective. He doesn't think he's ever seen the boy's bare hands before, as weird as it sounds. They were quite normal, just a regular pair of hands. It was hard to believe those very hands could belong to someone capable of murder. Instead, those hands were now helping Akira sweep his floor. The more he looked at them, the more his chest tightened and the more bizarre everything felt. If Akechi was really different here, could it be that the gloves had come off as a result of that change? Who was he really looking at right now anyway?

Akechi had caught him staring and gave him a smile, startling Akira out of his thoughts. "Did something catch your eye?"

"Not really." Akira lied, looking away. "Just... your hands, I guess. I thought they looked really nice for some reason.

"My hands…? Why?" Akechi asked softly, which resonated with something in his chest.

"That's ten dollars for an explanation."

"Oh, good thing I carry cash on―"

"Oops, sorry, I only accept American currency." Akira quickly sheathed a new pillowcase on. Out of all the things he could have commented on, he had to choose his hands. There was no doubt Akechi probably thought of him as a pervert among other things.

"That makes no sense and you know it." Akechi made a hum of dissatisfaction and continued with his work.

Akira hoped that Akechi wouldn't be able to hear how loud his heartbeat was from where he was standing. Why did he tell him about his hands? And why did he feel weirdly relieved to see them gloveless?

_Snap out of it, Akira. They're just gloves._

Then, a memory occurs to Akira. It was the day where he fought Akechi in Mementos. Akira had fought as hard as he could, knowing Akechi wouldn't forgive him for going easy on him. At the same time, he feared hurting him. In the end, Akira was triumphant but it was a close battle. He remembered the way Akechi looked at him, his breath panting, barely standing on his feet, a look of frustration on his pretty face. At the same time, Akira thought he saw a hint of enjoyment mixed in. It was the first time he had ever seen the detective fully in his element, his mask half fallen off to see just a sliver of what he was really like. Akira remembered wanting more of it, hoping to see another glimpse of that side of Akechi. And so, before parting ways, a single glove was thrown his way, a sign of a promised rematch. Akira looks at Akechi in front of him and wonders if that duel is now forever lost between the two.

All of a sudden, Akira felt a wave of sadness. He decided to get up and walk downstairs, hurriedly maneuvering around the detective.

"Where are you going?" Akechi asked him.

"Washroom. I think I'm done for today." Akira said, skipping down the steps. At this point, he was so paranoid that he felt that Akechi might even follow him there.

He quickly locked himself inside the restroom and sat on the toilet seat, his face in his hands. Akira wanted a moment to calm down and gather his senses. This was Akechi we're talking about, there's probably a good explanation for why he's not wearing them. But he couldn't think of any, and if he tried to ask him, Akechi would probably be just as confused as he was. 

Maybe Akechi never even wore gloves here in the first place.

Regardless of the reason, Akira couldn't help but feel a deep loneliness from seeing those gloveless hands. There was a reason why he threw that glove to him. It was a promise, something to hold on to, something that was of Akechi's. He always felt like Akechi was the kind of person who he could never fully grasp, someone who could just disappear without a moment's notice. The glove was a reminder that he was here now, that he wouldn't disappear because they had promised something to each other. Ever since that day, he had kept it in his pocket mostly out of forgetfulness to take it out but found that it was a good spot for it anyway. It was a reminder of what he shouldn't forget, of something he dearly looked forward to doing with Akechi… And now it was gone. That memory doesn't exist here anymore and it probably never will. Now, his pocket felt a lot more empty than it should've.

This wasn't the only reason why he's freaking out; everything was just so different. Somehow, the detective was a lot softer and more caring than he remembered him to be. Sure, he was still teasing him despite only being their first meeting but Akira felt like there was no underlying malice behind them.

Akira shook his head and sighed. This day was just making him go crazy the longer it went. All of it just made him want to go to sleep. Akira got up, flushed the toilet, and pretended to wash his hands. When he got out of the restroom, Sojiro and Akechi were outside talking softly, no doubt about Akira. They turned to him as soon as he closed the door.

"Hey, Boss, mind if I turn in for the night? I'm pooped." Akira asked.

"Sure, but before that, can you walk Akechi to the station?"

"What? Why? He can get there himself." Akira glanced at Akechi who just smiled at him, innocently.

"Well, he insists. And it's the polite thing to do after he helped you out today." Sojiro said.

"It won't be too long. You can go to bed after this." Akechi added, unhelpfully.

Akira just glared at him before sighing in resignation. There was no point in arguing with Sojiro now, especially if he wanted to be on his good side. So far, he's not really sure how he's doing with that. "Alright, whatever. It's the least I can do, I guess."

"Thank you." The detective replied.

 _You're very not welcome,_ Akira thought, sulkily.

"Make sure to come back straight after. I still need to lock up the place." Sojiro reminded him. Akira gave him a thumbs up on the way out.

Akira followed Akechi out the door and into the backstreets. They started walking at a much slower pace than he'd like and in complete silence, too. That was fine by him, he had more time to sort his thoughts. God knows he was doing a lot of that today.

It was strange, Akira didn't expect to spend his first day in Tokyo with Akechi. He thought he would be the last person he'd ever see here. He thought about how sore his feet felt and how full he was and how he felt like there was now a glaring huge hole in the middle of his chest. Akira checked it just to make sure; nope, no hole. He sighed and stretched his arms in front of him, cracking a few bones.

"So…" Akechi started, breaking the silence. "What do you think of Tokyo so far? I know you only just got here, but you know, I am quite curious."

How does Akira tell him that it's exactly as he remembered and yet so very different? As if he was coming home again but as a ghost, a stranger to all he loved dearly. How could Akira even begin to tell him how guilty he feels for being here, leaving his team behind from who knows where, all because he sacrificed his life for the same man walking beside him? How does he tell him that he just wants to go home ― not to his hometown, not to Leblanc ― but back to a time where he actually felt like he belonged for once?

"It's different," Akira simply said, because it was the truth.

"Yeah, I imagine it'll take some getting used to. People who live in the countryside often feel overwhelmed when coming to Tokyo for the first time."

"They got that right," Akira said under his breath. Oh, Akira was overwhelmed alright, but for different reasons. This was more than a simple cultural shock, after all.

"In any case, if you'd like, can we exchange phone numbers?" Akechi asked, showing Akira his smartphone. "I imagine we'll be seeing each other more often since I frequent Leblanc but if you want, I can help you adjust here. It'd be my pleasure."

"Uh…" Akira trailed off, his eyes darting at the station nearing them. "Oh look, we're here. You don't wanna miss your train, do you?"

"Um, yes but―"

"Can't talk, gotta run! I might make Boss mad if I take too long." Akira turns around and gets a head start, running away from Akechi. "Get home safely!"

"I'll see you tomorrow then!" Akechi yelled back.

 _Yeah, I really hope not_ , Akira thought as he ran through the backstreets back to Leblanc. Akira hoped that by the time he jumped back to bed and closed his eyes to sleep, he would wake up the next morning with everything as it should be, whatever that was really supposed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello, river here :) thanks so much for reaching the end!
> 
> well, i made this while playing royal and i had a mad urge to write something with these two but like time travel theme with no persona's, just angsty teens with their whole assortment of issues to work through. but yeah, this was literally a month or two of me just furiously writing stuff at work five days a week everytime i got a 30 minute break. fun!
> 
> anyways as far as this series will go, i think it'll be long, i don't know. i plan on spanning the full game probably and being fateful to the original events with my own version of it for this story's sake. 
> 
> in the meantime, stay safe and take care!


	2. In which Akira finds himself helping Akechi with a case of abuse in Shujin Academy.

_"If anyone wants to volunteer to take his place, I'll allow it." The cognitive Akechi states, sneering at the Phantom Thieves. "Although, I don't blame you guys if no one comes up. I doubt he had any time to make friends. He was probably too busy betraying all of you."_

_Akechi, the real one, flinched. He was in bad shape, his mask partly cracked and he was holding a wound he must've sustained from their fight earlier on his side. Akira was surprised the detective even reacted at all but going by his words from their fight earlier, Akechi most likely envied all of them; Akira most of all. He wanted to be special, to be liked, and ultimately, to belong somewhere._

_After all, Akechi was just a teenager, too, right?_

_Akira needed to do something and fast. He was not just going to let the detective die here, not after everything he's been through. He wasn't going to let Shido have him._

_"I'll go." Akira raised his hand. He could hear his team do a collective gasp behind him._

_"The leader of the Phantom Thieves, huh? How valiant." Cognitive Akechi cackled. It was an ugly laugh, nothing like the ones the real Akechi would do. "Throw your weapons aside. I don't want you fighting back now. Hands where I can see them, too."_

_Akira did as he was told and threw his gun, and knife, the clatter echoing around the engine room._

_"Joker, what are you doing? This is reckless!" Makoto yelled at him from behind._

_"Fuck, I'll go―" Ryuji starts._

_"No. Stay put." Akira ordered him, keeping his other hand back to block Ryuji. He could hear Ryuji mutter "Damnit" under his breath._

_"Please tell me you have a plan," Ann said, worriedly._

_Akira didn't. His mind was racing, his heart pounding and the only thing he knew to do right now was to save Akechi. He walked forward with his hands raised, shielding the fallen detective from the barrel of the gun._

_"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The real Akechi snarls. "Did you miss the fact that I'm a traitor? I betrayed you. I_ **_shot_ ** _you for god's sake. I was going to kill you and your friends not even five minutes ago. You gain nothing from this except to show off how much of a white knight you are."_

_"I don't care," Akira says. "I don't leave one of my own to die."_

_Akechi goes quiet, seemingly brooding on his words. Akira looked at cognitive Akechi in the eyes which were completely devoid of any life, cold and merciless. He wouldn't hesitate to get the job done, just like the Akechi who shot him in that investigation room a month prior. No, he had to focus. He tried to keep his hands from shaking as he quickly thought of a plan. Akira only had a few moments now before he gets shot. If he could only just―_

_"You don't have to do this, you know." For some reason, Akira finds himself trying to negotiate with the cognition. It was pointless but he needed to do something. Anything. "Shido's only going to kill you after."_

_"I know," Cognitive Akechi says, blankly. "I would die for him if he needs me to. And now, you're going to die for him, too."_

_"Wait―"_

_A single shot rings out, piercing Akira's chest. He hears ringing in his ears before he slumps down onto his side. Then, he hears his name being called out desperately, over and over, and Akira tries to cling to it. Someone's holding him now but he can't see them. He can't feel anything. He's so tired…_

_"I'm… sorry…" He hears himself choke out, coughing up blood._

_"You goddamn idiot," someone says, but there was no malice at all behind them. Instead, they just sounded sad. "Why?"_

_Akira wishes he had more time to tell them just that._

* * *

Akira woke up in a cold sweat, his breath heaving. He sat up suddenly, feeling his body. Still alive, somehow. Though, Akira doesn't know if he should be relieved about it or not.

His head was killing him. Waking up with a reminder of his biggest failure wasn't pleasant in the least. The dream felt so surreal that he almost thought that the bullet was still lodged in his chest. It wasn't.

Who was that person in the end though? It had to be Akechi, right? He was the only one close enough to say something to him. The familiar rough way he talked, no one else but him fit the criteria. His heart broke hearing Akechi's last words to him, asking him "Why"?

Why not? Akira had always been a reckless people pleaser. He wasn't quite proud of it but he liked helping people, not to boost his ego but simply because he could help. Frankly, he's seen his share of people standing by and letting things happen and he's had enough. Akira didn't want to be just another bystander in his own life, and especially not in Akechi's. If he died because he tried to save him, then so be it. He'll just have to live with that. Coping with it, however, was a whole other story.

Akira felt around for his phone, the time on it reads seven in the morning. Sighing, he moves to get up before realizing his shirt was completely soaked. He takes it off and throws the wet shirt on the floor. Akira considers grabbing a new one but remembers that he never had time to unpack his box since he went straight to bed yesterday. He supposed he could do it later, before checking out his school.

Akira goes downstairs into an empty Leblanc. He took in his surroundings. The cafe was fairly lit by the sunrise outside and the place still had that lingering scent of coffee and curry. Akira eyes the empty spot on the wall beside the door, half expecting the painting of "Sayuri" hanging on it before remembering his situation. He found that it just looked wrong without it.

He goes around the counter and grabs a green apron, wrapping it around his naked torso and gets to work. Akira will only have his memory to rely on for making Sojiro's coffee and he hoped it would be enough to suffice for it. He did remember making it almost every night in his other life, only because it helped his team so much for the Palace heists. Who knew home-brewed coffee would be so useful in a fight?

Akira begins grinding the coffee beans, selecting Cuban Crystal Mountain because he remembered that being his favourite before. Once the beans were ready, he places it in the coffee maker, carefully pours water over it (miraculously without any spillage) and allows it to brew. By the time he was done, the smell of the freshly brewed coffee snapped him out of his trance. He never realized just how focused he was when brewing drinks. It comforted him that his attention to coffee didn't manage to change even after everything. Hopefully the taste wouldn't change either.

He goes to grab his favourite mug, a black one with a simple drawing of a cat on it hidden in the top shelf, collecting dust. Akira was surprised that Sojiro hadn't touched it at all with how cute it looked. He was even more surprised that he even remembered what mug to use and where it was usually kept. After washing the mug thoroughly, he pours his coffee in and sits by the countertop, ready for the moment of truth. 

In the end, the coffee was just as he remembered and just how he liked it, perfectly so. Akira pumped his fist a little, a habit that always stuck whenever he succeeded in something. The more he drank the coffee, the more he felt his earlier fatigue rolling away. However, the nightmare was still somewhat lingering in his mind, which only made Akira upset the more he recalled it. 

Looking back at it now, it was a doomed plan from the start, especially when it was entirely improvised. He refused help from his teammates, he threw away his weapons and failed in negotiating with the cognition. With a series of failures like that, it didn't surprise him that death was only inevitable. The infamous Phantom Thieves leader, who outsmarted the ace detective and eluded even the police, to die in vain because of a cheap sacrifice. 

Some leader he was. Really, it was pathetic.

Akira sighed, taking another sip of his cup before hearing the familiar jingle of the door. Sojiro comes in his casual clothes, smoking a cigarette.

"Um, why are you shirtless?" Sojiro asked, looking very confused. "Wait a minute, do I smell coffee?"

"Well, yeah. This is a cafe, after all, right?"

"Don't get smug with me, boy." Sojiro walked closer to him, looking at the used coffee maker. "You know how to make coffee?"

Shoot, how was Akira going to explain that Sojiro, in another life, was the one who taught him how? "Uh… yes. Sometimes."

"Sometimes?" He raised an eyebrow and poured himself a cup. The old man raised the cup to his nose for a sniff. "Hm, Cuban Crystal Mountain, huh? Wait a minute, you didn't even get my permission to use the beans."

"I'm sorry. I'll pay you back." With what money? Akira didn't have a part-time job yet, although if some things were still the same, 777 was hopefully still hiring. He hoped the flower shop was hiring, as well. That was his favourite job. Crossroads, too. Akira missed Lala now that he thought about it. She would always give him some extra food to take home before he left and advised him to not stay too long in such a district.

Sojiro studied him a bit before shifting his attention to his cup of coffee. He takes a sip of it, expressionless, and then reels back, his look incredulous. "Why―this tastes exactly how I do them! How do you…"

Akira looked into his cup, his heart beating. Would he, by some miracle, remember him? Or worse, would he be accused of stealing his recipe? Either way, Akira was most likely screwed.

Sojiro looked at him and only sighed. "Well, whatever. It's some amazing coincidence that the taste is similar. If you're this good at brewing coffee, then you wouldn't complain if I get you working here right away, hm?"

"N-No way!" Akira exclaimed, slamming both his hands on the table, almost knocking over their cups. "Oops, sorry."

To his surprise, the old man chuckled. "Excited, aren't we? I usually run this place myself but I think it would do you some good if you helped around from time to time." He paused a bit, eyeing Akira's shirtless apron outfit. "You'll need a shirt to work though. This ain't a strip club kind of cafe."

"But it's never too late to start." When Sojiro only stared at him, Akira dropped his witty act. "Sorry, I'll cover up next time."

Sojiro just shook his head, continuing to sip his coffee. "I'm just surprised you didn't manage to burn yourself while making coffee. Speaking of which, care to explain why you're even half-naked in the first place?"

"I―" Akira was about to explain his nightmare earlier but thought better of it. He didn't really want Sojiro worrying over him when he already had a lot to take care of. "I genuinely forgot to put on a shirt."

With that, Sojiro only barked out in laughter. Akira smiled, he missed making the old man laugh. He was always good at that and he took pride in doing so. Sure, he knew he was a pain to deal with but he hoped Sojiro would eventually warm up to him soon.

"God, don't forget next time. If a customer walks in here now, no doubt they would call the police. Or faint." Sojiro said, wiping a tear away. "Most of our customers here are seniors. One look at you and they'll go into cardiac arrest."

"I have that effect on people."

"Well, work on turning that effect off. I don't want a walking crisis in here." He takes another sip of coffee. "Speaking of which, your hair is a crisis. Do you even bother combing that?"

Akira untangles his hair a bit, which is now somehow more poofy than usual and refuses to stay down. "Oh, this? Believe me, I've tried but it has like a mind of its own or something. I call them Raven."

"You even named your hair, huh? What kinda guy am I housing right now..." Sojiro muttered, seemingly unable to comprehend Akira. "It's fitting though. It definitely looks like a bird's nest if you ask me."

"I'm flattered."

"That wasn't a compliment." He sighed before glancing at the clock. "Okay, this has gone on long enough. Go get changed and for chrissake, do something about your "Raven". We're meeting your principal, after all. I don't want him changing his mind after he sees you."

Right, principal Kobakayawa of Shujin Academy who, for some reason, accepted him into the school despite his messy circumstances. If he recalled correctly, he was a big, burly fellow that's generally hard to miss with his favoured yellow suit. Akira didn't really think much of him but he did know that he wasn't exactly much of a saint, or more precisely, a saint with his own agenda to uphold. He was aware of the abuse regarding Kamoshida to his students and willingly let him do as he pleased simply because he was an Olympic gold medalist. 

Then, there was the fact that he used Makoto to catch the Phantom Thieves, even going so far as to threaten to revoke her recommendation letter. He was far from respectable but in the end, he was just another puppet for Shido to use and throw away as he wished. Principal Kobayakawa died in a "suicide accident" shortly after Akira and his friends came back from their class trip to Hawaii. Now that Akira knows who the real culprit was behind the mental shutdowns, it was safe to say that his death was Akechi's doing. The real question was, would he do it again in this timeline though?

The raven-haired boy shivered at the thought of Akechi killing someone…again. If everything was different though, and so far it has proven to do so, there was the possibility of it not occurring. But on the off chance that Akechi was still looking to seek revenge against Shido now, then Akira knows he has to stop him, once more. And properly this time.

Once Akira was finished dressing into his uniform, and taming his mess of a hair, he goes downstairs to see Sojiro finishing up washing the cups. "Your hair didn't change much, huh?"

"Told you. It's a beast." Akira said, playing with the end of his bangs.

"Why don't you wear a hat instead?" Sojiro asked, pointing to his fedora.

"And cover up my Raven? Never!" It's because Akira knows he doesn't look good in hats.

"You're being dramatic." Sojiro sighed, glancing at his watch. "Anyways, we have one more person accompanying us. He should be here soon."

"He?"

Right on cue, the chime of the bell rings, and in comes an all too familiar brunet, beaming as always. "Good morning. Sorry to have kept you two waiting."

"Oh." Yep, he's a stalker alright.

* * *

The ride to Shujin Academy was extremely awkward. 

It was only because Akechi refused to sit at the passenger's seat, instead opting to sit at the back with Akira. By the time the raven-haired boy wanted to switch to the front, Sojiro had already locked all the doors and started the engine. "Too late," he said, not even bothering to glance at him through the rear-view mirror.

"Don't you have anything better to do than stalking me?" Akira huffed, frustrated. "Why would you even want to come to school on a weekend? You don't even go to Shujin."

"And how do you know that, Mr. Transfer Student?" Akechi asked, cocking his head to the side. "I don't believe I've ever told you what school I attended."

Shit. Him and his big mouth. "Well, different uniforms. Obviously. Even I can recognize you go to a high-end school."

The detective only gave him an amused smile. "I'm surprised. I didn't realize my school was that famous, even outside Tokyo."

Akira frowned. "I guess you always learn something new."

"Hm. I suppose." He hummed, seemingly unsatisfied. "For your information, I'm going to Shujin on official business for a case that was recently assigned to me. It just so happens that this case's circumstances coincide at Shujin. I work as a detective you see, although only as an apprentice for the moment."

So the detective part of him really hasn't changed. That was kind of relieving, to say the least, considering he wouldn't have imagined him any other way. Akechi has always been way too smart for his age and he was glad he was putting it to good use for something he enjoyed doing. Hopefully, it was for the right reasons, though.

"A detective, huh? It suits you." Akira said, nodding his head. "Sorry for accusing you as a stalker then. I hope you find some concrete evidence for your case at least."

"Thank you. I intend on finding it, no matter what." The detective said, determined as he always was.

He wondered exactly what the case Akechi could be referring to. As far as he was concerned, nothing big had happened during the beginning of his term there except for… Kamoshida. Was that who the case was about, regarding the incidents of abuse among his volleyball team? If that was the case, why? Akira didn't see Kamoshida having any connections to Shido so realistically, Akechi didn't have any reason to pursue this. Well, if he recalled the fact that he had mentioned being an apprentice, maybe he had no choice in the matter, in which case it made sense then. 

But if he thought about it more, perhaps he was investigating Principal Kobayakawa instead. It would make sense, he was actually working under Shido before and he did die because of a mental shutdown… Was the case really about him? All he recalled him doing was being more than aware of Kamoshida's abuse and letting it happen but that couldn't have been enough to warrant a crime, unfortunately. Akira could just ask what the case was about but maybe that would've been prying too much. He didn't really know how much of it was supposed to be confidential stuff anyway.

Akira sighed and looked out the window, watching the city zoom by. At least the car ride wasn't entirely awful, Sojiro had the decency to put on the radio. The news reporter was talking about something regarding politics which pretty much went through Akira's ears.

"Good thing traffic is pretty smooth. I'm surprised since I figured it'd be busier on weekends." Sojiro commented. "The school isn't too far but I'd hate to keep the principal waiting."

Wait, that's right. Didn't the first big incident of a mental shutdown occur right at this moment? Akira shook his head a little. He was remembering it wrong. It was only after his trip to the school where the traffic turned congested. An accident occurred in Shibuya Station due to the death of a train conductor, significantly injuring some passengers. 

And the culprit was sitting right beside him.

If he's here now, does this mean that he gave up on his revenge plot against Shido? No, Akira knew what the boy was like. Once he sets his mind on something, he'll refuse to back down. His hatred for Shido most likely transcended timelines, and if Akira was right, then Akechi was in the midst of planning something. If that was the case, then Akechi was most likely planning on starting the shutdowns once again. All of a sudden, Akira had the burning sensation of asking the detective just that but held back. That was a potentially risky thing to ask, especially when he was far from trusting Akechi. He doesn't even know what his real agenda is right now.

"Oh Boss, that reminds me. Futaba's attending Shujin, right?" Akechi asked. "I believe it's her first year?

Akira stiffened in his seat. Akechi knew who Futaba was? And she's attending school? His mind was racing so much, he thought he was going to explode any second.

"That's right. So, I guess you'll be seeing her sometimes." Sojiro glances at Akira in the rear-view mirror, who was still having an internal crisis. "Although, I don't want you influencing her to get into trouble or anything."

"... Futaba?" Akira finally found the strength to ask.

"Yeah, she's my―well, I wouldn't say daughter… erm." He hesitated, clearing his throat. "Her mother's a researcher. Because of that, she's often busy so for the time being, she entrusted me to take care of her."

Wakaba Isshiki was _alive_. 

Akira couldn't believe his ears at the piece of information. Her death was the very reason Futaba went into a depression, turning her into a shut-in. If his memory served him right, she was killed for her research and then framed her "suicide" as the fault of her daughter. And Goro Akechi was the perpetrator. Or more importantly, a puppet used by Shido to carry out his dirty work.

If she was still alive, then either Akechi doesn't have his persona either or he does and he's prolonging her death. Maybe that would explain why he seems to be in close contact with Sojiro and possibly Futaba. Was it all just to get his hands on her research or perhaps something else? He supposed the only way to know if the shutdowns would start up again is if the accident really does occur after school. But if nothing were to happen then...

Akechi noticed Akira's silence, seemingly brooding on something. "She's a nice girl. A bit eccentric but she's as intelligent as her mother, that's for sure."

"Huh." The raven-haired boy only managed a meek nod. "I'd love to meet her."

"You probably won't be able to today. She's usually holed up in her room on weekends doing god knows what." Sojiro chuckled.

"She told me she was really annoyed about the amount of social studies homework she was getting so she was planning on hacking her teacher's laptop to prank her," Akechi said before he gasped and held a hand to his mouth. "She told me not to tell you though."

"That girl, I told her not to cause any trouble." Sojiro sighed. "I'll have a word with her later. I won't mention you talking though."

"Thanks, Boss. I don't really want her planning something against me." Akechi the snitch smiled. He glanced over at Akira, who was still strangely quiet. "Oh by the way Akira, you never did give me your number yesterday. Would you like to exchange them now?"

"What?" Akira snapped out of his train of thought, looking at Akechi who had his phone out to him. "Um… yeah, about that. I don't have a phone so I can't give you a number. Sorry."

"What kind of teenager doesn't have a phone these days?" Sojiro raised an eyebrow in the rear-view mirror.

Akechi narrowed his eyes and glanced down, looking at Akira's jeans, or more specifically his back pocket. Which may or may not be bulging because of a phone. "That's not what you think it is."

Akechi only tilted his head wordlessly, feigning nonchalance. Akira was not going to fall for it.

"Boss, I think Kurusu doesn't want to get along with me." 

The nerve of this guy, he swears.

Sojiro sighed. "Akira, don't give Akechi such a hard time. If you want to get through your probation swiftly, you'll need a good track record, and having friends would really help with that. Stop being stubborn."

But Sojiro didn't get it. He wasn't the one who took a bullet to save his precious rival. He wasn't the one who had to endure the constant urge to run away from the talking guilt sitting next to him. Akira was the only one drowning in shame. 

* * *

Akira felt somewhat strangely relieved when the talk with Principal Kobayakawa and his teacher Kawakami went exactly as he remembered. Sure, they were as cold and firm as they had been but at least it was something reliable. The fact that he knew that they still thought of him as a nuisance wasn't supposed to have made him secure and yet, it was precisely that which made him hope that things would stay the same as his memories.

"Well, that's that. You heard them, you should be grateful that they even accepted you here so don't cause any trouble, alright?" Sojiro said once they were outside of the principal's office. "If you get expelled here, too, who knows who else will accept you?"

Even if some things never changed, it still hurt being labeled as a criminal when he strongly felt that he did nothing wrong. Akira just wanted to help someone. Why was it so hard to do just that without getting punished for it?

The old man noticed his silence and sighed. "Look, Akechi went around questioning some students regarding that case he had. If you want to check if he needs help, by all means. Otherwise, feel free to tour the school. I need to be somewhere so you'll need to take the train back but if you're lost, just ask Akechi. He'll be more than happy to help you."

Like he hadn't noticed that. It was suspicious but he couldn't deny that the detective had been much too eager to lend him a hand. He supposed it wasn't an entirely bad thing. Maybe he will check if he needed any help, after all, it was the least he could do after yesterday. Besides, the case had him burning with curiosity.

Since they parted ways with Akechi as soon as they got to school, it was safe to say that he wasn't investigating the principal, not directly at least anyway. Or he was saving him for last, he didn't know. Akira figured he'd head straight for the gym where the volleyball team usually practiced. The hallways were mostly empty save for some students going to their various clubs and teachers attending their meetings.

By the time he got there, the volleyball team was already in the middle of practice. Various Shujin students were busy in a practice match against each other. The gym was strangely silent save for the sound of the ball being smacked around. Kamoshida was standing to the side, watching them intently with his arms crossed. Akira scanned around and found Akechi sitting up on the upper landing, writing something in a notebook. He made his way to him, debating on whether he'd give him a scare but was beat to it when Akechi saw him come up the stairs.

"Hi," Akira said as nonchalantly as he could.

"Hello. Nice of you to join me so soon." Akechi smiled, scooting a bit so Akira could sit beside him. "How was the talk with the principal?"

"It's okay. They already told me what I already figured. 'Make sure to be a good student so we don't kick you out' kinda thing." He said dryly, carefully glancing at Akechi's notebook contents. It had the names of various students in the Shujin volleyball team written down. He sure didn't waste any time. "You know, the usual."

"The usual? I don't think that's something you should be getting used to." The detective frowned.

"Well, I don't really have much of a choice, do I?" Before Akechi could even interject, Akira changed the subject in a heartbeat. "Still, I know it's a Tokyo school but I'm still surprised by how big it was. I think my old one only had about two floors. Barely."

"How come?"

"When my principal found out we had only about fifty students last year with all the grades combined, he decided to close the second floor because of how deserted it was. He said it made him sad to see how lonely the school was."

Akechi burst out laughing. "Wow, he must've been really sentimental. But really, an entire floor?"

"Mhm. It was kind of funny how many horror stories would circulate just because of that." Akira folded his arms, pretending to reminisce in the memory. "And there was a lot. Like _a lot._ "

"I can only imagine," Akechi chuckled. "Well, I suppose that's the perks of living in a small town. You get all the urban legends you could possibly want."

"Too much really. I've heard enough urban legends to traumatize me for life, thanks."

"Not a big fan of them?"

"Oh, I like them. It's just that there were urban legends for everything that I was literally afraid to do anything. Like, my old school had a ghost in our washroom who'd cut off our dicks if we missed the urinal!"

Akechi burst out laughing again. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Actually, that one's not even that bad. There was one that was like if you ever feel lost, it's because a ghost was leading you to purgatory."

"Well, I can see why you'd be traumatized. But I mean, you wouldn't really need to worry about that in your hometown, right?"

"Nah, it was impossible to get lost in my hometown but it's way too easy to do so in Tokyo. Case in point." He straightens his glasses. "Don't worry, I don't think I'm in purgatory. Not yet anyway."

"Good to know you're still somewhat sane." Akechi chuckles. "I don't blame you though. That's the nature of a large-scale capital city. Did you actually manage to get lost in Shujin though?"

"No…" Akira trailed off. Akechi raises an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe I couldn't find my homeroom because I didn't realize the floors had designated grades for them."

Akira wasn't lying, at least for the homeroom part. Even with his memories back, somehow he had neglected to read the number on the top of the doors and walked into a science class. An empty one albeit but it still wasn't the right one. Having his memories suddenly thrust on to him was disorienting, to say the least, and not something he would recommend to anyone else.

"But you're a second year, aren't you? Isn't it a given that it'll be on the second floor, whether the grades went in ascending or descending order? I mean, there's only three floors."

"Only three floors! Were you even listening to what I said about my school earlier?" Akira exclaimed in mock distress which prompted another laugh from Akechi. 

Speaking of which, there were a lot of those going on today. Akira didn't really think he was that funny, was he? In any case, he wasn't entirely against it and secretly wanted more of it. Unless he was laughing at him, then maybe they'd need a talk.

"Okay, I'll admit Shujin is a big school. Although I'd have to say mine is probably a tad larger. We have an extra floor just for the honour students." He said, idly spinning his pen in his hand.

"That's your floor, isn't it?" Akechi only grinned at him and nodded. Figures. Akira couldn't even be annoyed at him showing off because he knew how much he liked the attention. He did feel like he deserved every bit of it considering how much he knows about his circumstances. If it still matters now as well, then even more so. "Impressive. And if you were wondering, yes, your cockiness gave it away."

Instead of being offended, Akechi only laughed. "Ah, my apologies. I didn't mean to show you that side of me too often but I can't help myself. You're too interesting for me to just back down."

Akira remembered Akechi commenting often on how unique or interesting he was in his other life, too. He never really thought much of it then but with his newer sense of clarity, it was most likely due to envy. Or was it also coming from a genuine sense of curiosity and amusement? He doesn't think he minded either way. "Back down? How about you slow down? I didn't even know we were competing."

"Once again, forgive me. It's all just me, I'm afraid." Akechi said, dismissing the topic. It seemed like there was more to it than just that but Akira didn't really feel like indulging that conversation just yet.

There was a short silence as they both watched the volleyball team bump the ball around. He could see Mishima in the corner, hiding behind a clipboard, bruises visible even from where he was sitting. Shiho was on the far end of the court, in a ready position but it looked like she was barely able to stand on her feet. The rest of the members looked as tired as she did and the energy in the room was low because of that. It was tense, to say the least.

Remembering how badly the abuse had affected Mishima and Shiho made Akira's blood boil. He had no respect for adults who did whatever they wanted with no regard for a minor's safety. It had been a long time since he had felt so angry but as soon as it came, he immediately simmered down. Instead, it was replaced with a quiet resolve, a promise to protect his friends once again. He wasn't going to let them down this time. 

And certainly not Akechi either.

The detective shifted in his seat as he scribbled down something in his notebook, snapping Akira out of his thoughts. He tried to sneak another peek at it but Akechi's arm was in the way.

"Hey, don't you find it hard balancing being an honour student and a detective?" Akira already knew the answer to it but he figured he would take the time to get to know Akechi again. Akira didn't mind. "Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you're more than capable but I bet most people wouldn't be able to handle the workload. Even for adults."

"Oh for sure, I find myself prioritizing my detective work more than school, as bad it sounds," he said sheepishly, stopping his writing to tap his pen to his chin. "I end up missing school a lot but at least my teachers understand. I really can't help myself though when it comes to my work. I find myself all too eager to start investigating."

"Ah, like a scratch you desperately need to itch fast. That's really admirable."

Akechi looked like he was about to get embarrassed before he maintained his composure and put on his tv show smile. He wished he didn't have to do that, he quite preferred the real thing after all. "Thank you. I want my results to be perfect so I have to do more than my best and nothing but that."

"Ever the perfectionist, huh?"

"It's like you know me already."

The two exchanged smiles.

"In any case, I want you to let me help in your investigation," Akira proposed, shifting his legs to fit between the metal poles of the handrail.

Akechi put his pen down and raised an eyebrow at him, his curiosity peaked. "And why exactly? I haven't even told you what it is yet, nor did I tell you I was even investigating right now."

"It wasn't that hard. Who takes notes while watching a volleyball game anyway?" Akechi seemed to agree with that. "Besides, you thought I was joking when I asked if we could be partners in crime? Well, minus the crime part, so just partners I guess but still. It'll be fun."

Akira grinned at him to which the detective gave a disapproving shake. "That's why you want to help?"

"That too but I mean come on, I'm smarter than I look?" Akechi shrugged at that. "You're only hesitant because you know better. And actually, I have a few guesses about what this case is about."

"Enlighten me then." He looked like he was thoroughly amused by this whole conversation.

_Oh, I will Mr. Charismatic Detective. Prepare to get your socks knocked off._

"You see the guy with the clipboard? His shoulders are hunched and even from here, there're visible bruises on his face. Their volleyball coach is hovering beside him, watching everyone but he hasn't said anything this whole time. In fact, he's watching us right now." Akira nudges Akechi to look at Kamoshida's way, who gives them a smile that looks all too fake before looking back at the game. "I'm not the only one who feels the tension in the room, the players on the court feel stiff. They're making smooth plays sure, but it's too smooth. They haven't made any mistakes at all yet."

As if Kamoshida was listening, he piped up in a cheerful tone. "You guys are doing a great job! Keep it up."

No one answered back or even made any noticeable reaction. 

"He doesn't mean that. He knows we're watching so he needs to keep his image up somehow but…"

At that moment, Shiho had just volleyed a ball back before suddenly dropping to her knees. The teammates near her huddled around to check on her. Someone tried to help her up but Shiho looked like she was struggling to do so.

"Hey, hey, what's with all the commotion there? The game isn't over yet," Kamoshida bellows, making his way to the fallen Shiho.

Akira's heart starts to pound, hoping to god nothing will happen to her here. Akechi glances at him, seemingly worried.

"I'm alright… I can stand―" She says before falling again on her knees.

Kamoshida sighs, seemingly forgetting the fact that Akira and Akechi were still watching. "Okay, okay, that's enough of that. You're in no shape to play like this."

He grabs her wrist and practically hauls her to her feet. Shiho looks like she could fall again at any time with how bent over she was.

"Okay team, we'll resume the match after I check on Suzui. No lazing around though, I want you all to keep practicing while I'm gone. Every minute counts."

Kamoshida then drags Shiho to his office to do god knows what. Akira immediately moves from the handrail to stand up on his feet and heads down the landing.

"Where are you going?" Akechi asks, moving to follow him.

"Checking on her. This is a case of abuse, right? Who knows what can happen to her in there," Akira says hastily, his chest filled with dread.

Akechi grabs his wrist to stop Akira in his tracks. "He won't do anything to her now, trust me. Her team is right outside her office and he's aware of us. He can't beat her or else we might hear or possibly see any new bruises come up."

"Still, he took her inside his office. He should have taken her to the nurse's office. Or he could even check on her at the bench. I believe he's not beating her right now, he's berating her. As discreetly as he can. I'm not going to sit around and wait when I know I can do something to help, even if it's just a bit."

Akechi gets taken aback by Akira's sudden conviction. He lets go of his wrist, sighing a little to himself. "It's only your second day here and already you're eager to help someone else. You could lose your position at this school if you question him, you know?"

"I know," Akira smiles at him. "I don't care."

"Well, I think you should start caring. I don't want you getting expelled again when I'm starting to find you so interesting."

Wow, does he not feel embarrassed saying that? Because Akira does, extremely so. He turns away to keep from seeing the blush on his cheeks. Akechi gets half a point for that but only because it caught him off guard.

Akira starts running down the stairs and heads for the door to his office. From the corner of their eyes, they could see the entire team watching them, waiting.

Akechi stops him once they're in front of the door.

"Wait, I'll do the questioning. It is my case, after all."

Akira nods. Akechi straightens up and breathes in before knocking on the door. It takes a few seconds before Kamoshida opens the door, keeping it slightly closed to hide the inside from view.

"Oh, hello there. You guys were watching the practice right? Sorry about cutting it short, I'm just getting Suzui patched up here." He smiles which grates on Akira's nerves. He tried sneaking a peek of the inside but he could only see the wall. Kamoshida was a big man after all.

"No worries. We just came to check on the girl because we were simply worried about her. Is she alright?" Akechi asks, shooting him a smile of his own, which was even brighter than usual.

"Oh, Suzui? Yeah, she's fine. She has a tendency to overwork herself. I tell her to take it easy but you know, she's always so eager to improve." Lies. Akira wanted to spit that back on his face but risking expulsion again wasn't something he wanted to do.

"Well, will you allow us to see her quickly? I have some questions I'd like to ask her."

"Um, what do you need to question her about? Besides, I wouldn't exactly advise that. You see, she's in a lot of pain right now because of her leg so―"

"I understand but I see no reason for you to take her into your office alone just to patch her up. Or attempt to block the door from us."

Right as Akechi said that, Akira pushes open the door behind Kamoshida to reveal Shiho crouched on the floor in tears. She looked up at him with a distressed look on her face. Seeing her in such a downtrodden state, especially when Akira remembers how sweet she was to him before, made his blood boil.

Akira wanted to grab Kamoshida by the collar and demand what he did to her to cause her to cry. Since that would warrant severe consequences, instead he turned to him and―

"Wait, this is because my legs hurt, that's all!" Shiho exclaimed, wiping her tears. "He… didn't do anything to me."

Akira could hear the hesitation in her voice. He looked right into her eyes and understood immediately. She was afraid. Upon closer inspection, she was trembling on the spot, shaken by _something_. Something Kamoshida had said or done to her made her like this and she had no choice but to defend him. Akira clenched his hands to his sides in frustration and promptly kneeled in front of Shiho, grabbing her by the hand. 

"I'm in love with you!"

Immediately, she had stopped shaking, completely taken aback by the abrupt confession. Akechi and Kamoshida were both frozen in their spot, extremely confused. No one dared to move a muscle.

When Shiho could finally find her voice, she was beet red and stammering. "U-Um, I'm sorry. What?"

"Ever since I laid eyes on you five minutes ago, I fell in love with your form! The way you volley, the way you return, it's so graceful! I've never seen anything like it before! Can you please be my muse?" 

Despite the bold claim, Akira's heart was actually beating so fast right now, so much so that he thinks he's having a heart attack. The familiar choice of words was borrowed from his good friend Yusuke and he never thought he would see the day where he would act like an eccentric artist. Honestly, he could see the appeal of the strange language he spoke but it was too much even for him. All it took was to be as dramatic and lavish as possible, something Akira was way too embarrassed to be doing.

After a few more seconds of silence, Kamoshida then erupted into a big belly laugh, which was boisterous and ugly at best. Akechi looked absolutely bewildered, something Akira had never seen him look before. He almost wanted to take a photo of him in that moment for a keepsake but knew better since that was highly inappropriate to do right now. Besides, he had a confession to go through after all.

At this point, Shiho had understandably short-circuited, her entire face a flustered mess. Truthfully speaking, he found himself regretting not being able to save her sooner before. It wasn't really his fault then but he still wished that she wouldn't have had to resort to jumping off the roof. In any case, Akira was determined to stop that from happening again, no matter what.

"Oh boy, that's why you were so desperate to see her, huh? This is cute and all but really, there's a time and place for these things." Kamoshida chuckled, wiping away a tear. He turned to Akechi. "Are you gonna confess too then, kid?"

Akechi, who was somehow slowly coming back to earth, flinched at being suddenly addressed. "What? No, no! Of course not! I―I don't even know what he's doing."

"Please, may I have your answer milady?" Akira persisted, holding her hand with both his hands now.

"Um, I'm sorry, I-I'm really flattered but I don't―I'm not looking to be anyone's m-muse right now." She bowed her head as low as she could muster.

Akira secretly mustered a sigh of relief. He wouldn't know what to do if she actually agreed to go out with him. Anyone in their right mind would refuse such a lavish confession and he hoped Shiho would do the same but you never know.

He put a hand on his forehead, in an attempt to look as distressed as possible. "Ah, you wound me! But I understand, I'm being too brash about this. Forgive me, I'll never show my face to you again."

Akira moves to get up before Shiho calls out to him. "Um! You don't have to do that. I think it would be great if we could start as friends if that's alright with you?"

She really was as kind as he remembered. "Of course! That would be really nice."

There was another moment of silence before claps began to erupt from behind them. The entire volleyball team had heard everything and was apparently moved by the situation. Some people even began whistling and cheering in amusement, the tension seemingly dissipating away.

Akechi then cleared his throat and grabbed Akira by the hand, dragging him away from the crime scene.

* * *

They were at the front gate of the school by the time Akechi had finished dragging him around. Both of them were busy catching their breaths with Akira panting especially. 

What was with this timeline and him running around? He knew then he needed to be extra fit for palaces but he had only just arrived in Tokyo. Frankly, Akira had always been out of shape and as a result, he never did very well in gym classes. If only he could catch a break for once from all this.

After a few seconds of panting, Akechi's hand was somehow still in his. Akira doesn't know if he's just forgotten about that very important fact or he's trying to find a good time to let go. He was just about to wiggle his hand out before the brunet spoke.

"What was that back there?" Akechi asked. His back was turned to him so he couldn't quite see his expression but he wondered if he was mad.

"I'm really sorry. I know you wanted to question them both but I didn't think it was a good time," Akira explained. "If you suddenly started accusing him of abuse, I don't think he'd take it well. In fact, I had a feeling he would just take it out on the students. And I didn't want that…"

After a few seconds of silence, Akechi squeezed Akira's hand. Then, realizing that they were, in fact, still holding hands, he let go, a little flustered. "Oh, sorry!"

"No worries," Akira laughed, mostly because he was amused seeing a flustered Akechi.

Akechi clears his throat, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. "Anyways, I understand why you did it but I'm surprised you managed to pull it off. Your acting was in really poor taste though, I could barely hold back my laughter then."

"Hey, rude! I thought I did really well for my first time acting. Maybe I should sign up for drama or something."

"Please tell me you're joking."

"Once again, rude. Normally, wouldn't you be supporting my dream?"

"There's nothing to support if I don't think there's any hope for it."

Akira scoffed and walked away from him, stretching his arms out. What an eventful day it has been and still no sign of the Metanav appearing. If he meets Ann and Ryuji tomorrow and nothing happens, Akira will have to decide what to do from now on. It seemed like Kamoshida was the same as he was in his other life with how meek the volleyball team looked. There had to be something he could do to help, with or without his Persona abilities.

"Okay, I've decided." Akira turns back to Akechi who was watching him curiously. "Let me help you in your investigations, starting with this one. Since you don't attend Shujin and I do, I can be your eyes and ears. Your source of info if you will. It'll be easier on you, won't it?"

Akechi crossed his arms, one hand rubbing his chin in thought. "You're right, that would help me tremendously. But what would you get out of it? It's not like you're being paid for this like I am."

"Don't worry, the sense of achievement is more than enough for me." He grinned. "Besides, when will you ever get a chance to have a partner like me? You won't turn me down, will you?"

The detective was quiet for a bit, contemplating Akira's proposal. Akira didn't really know why it was taking him so long to accept it since it was genuine. Unless…

"Oh! Um, if you're worried about me having ulterior motives, don't worry. I don't have any, I swear." Akira put his hands up. "This is from the goodness of my heart. And I may or may not just genuinely have a secret dream to be Watson."

Akechi blinks at him for a bit before barking in laughter. The sight of the detective looking so genuine and carefree made Akira's heart ache for some reason and he didn't know why.

"I wasn't worried about that. But thanks, for clarifying that with me," he said, after calming down for a bit. "If that's the case though, I guess I have no choice but to be your Sherlock then, my little Watson?"

Akira's heart skips a beat. "Yes, sir! We're on the case then! There's a mystery afoot! Elementary, my dear Waーoh wait, Sherlock says that."

Akechi laughs again, shaking his head. "Have you been waiting to say those all this time?"

"Told you, it's my dream. I'm a natural Watson, right?"

"You're such an idiot. There isn't even any mystery if it's clear who the culprit is. We only have one suspect."

"Okay, so we're not off to a good start." Akira pouts. "I'm the only one excited about this, huh."

"I think it's inappropriate to be excited about catching an abuser."

"No, I meant solving crimes with you. Aren't you looking forward to that, too?"

Akechi considers this, genuinely so. Akira can see him pondering about something, the gears turning in his mind. He wouldn't really call it awkward but waiting for a response to that felt almost embarrassing to him. He meant it though; he always wondered what it would've been like to work together with the detective. He'd always had his hands full with the Phantom Thieves and in any case, he wished he had more time to help him with his work, assuming it didn't involve mental shutdowns. Regardless, this would be perfect a time as any.

_No, wait. Wasn't I supposed to be trying to avoid him? How did this even happen?_

Well, he supposed it was his natural instinct to want to help others that he would even overlook Akechi's complex circumstances. Now that he recalled it, Akechi had asked him before if he was willing to betray his teammates if it meant joining his side. Akira had told him that he would think about it then, which ironically, he said without actually thinking about it. He had only said it then because he knew it was what he wanted to hear. The implications of that question knowing now what being on his side meant, would he have been able to confidently tell him his answer?

Akechi finally speaks, snapping Akira out of his thoughts. "You're right. I am looking forward to working with you."

"Well now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Akira puts out his hand in front of him for a handshake. "Alright, it's a deal then."

"I suppose it is." Akechi takes his hand and shakes it. Akira doesn't think about how the brunette holds his hand for a little too long before finally, and seemingly reluctantly, pulling away.

The warmth of the other's hand lingers on Akira's own which makes _something_ tingle in his chest. He puts his hand in his pocket in an attempt to simmer the feeling down.

"Okay, well. That's that. I guess it was a good thing I exchanged numbers with you earlier then," Akira said, absentmindedly.

"Yes, you were really giving me a hard time about it. I thought I was being too overwhelming then, haha," Akechi laughed.

_Oh, you kind of were. I don't mind it now though, I guess._

Akira shrugs, not commenting on it. He starts walking, making his way home.

"You already know the way to Leblanc?" The detective asked.

Akira freezes in his steps and stiffly turns to Akechi. "Um… No… But I heard Boss knows you do so want to lead the way for me? If you're busy, forget about it though."

"Oh no, I can walk you back. I don't mind. Besides, I wouldn't want my partner going missing already, right?" Akechi winks at him.

"Hey, I am not that bad."

Akechi only laughs, leading the way to Leblanc. Akira starts walking behind him but soon finds himself beside the detective. He didn't think about the fact that perhaps the brunet was purposely walking slowly in order to match his step with him.

"Say…" Akechi reluctantly says, which was quite uncharacteristic of him. "Do you…"

He trails off, his unfinished sentence hanging in the air. Akira waits patiently, hoping he'll be able to finish whatever he wants to ask him. But he never does.

"Nevermind, it's nothing." He says, dismissively.

Akira wants to tell him that it was fine and to ask him what it was but he wasn't sure if that was what he wanted. Even after all this time, he still preferred to do things the way others wanted him to. He's quite aware of it, but there was always that fear that clung to him every time he so much as took off his mask. If he wasn't able to help anyone anymore, who was he? 

_Alone and nothing._

He shakes the thought out of his head. That can of worms could wait another day.

"Alright," Akira said, not at all sure that it was alright to just leave it like this. He spends the rest of the walk home mulling over Akechi's words, trying to guess what could possibly fit the final words to his sentence.

* * *

That evening, the news never showed a train accident in Shibuya Station. Instead, the main headlines were talking about an up and coming detective of Tokyo that stole everyone’s hearts. Looks like Akechi was everywhere, even on TV today.

There might really be no Persona’s in this world, or Akechi was holding back on using them, although he didn’t see any benefit from using them later on. Not once has he seen that mysterious blue butterfly, nor heard the calming voice that came with it. Perhaps, if he dreamed hard enough, he could force himself to visit the Velvet Room but even he knows that’s not exactly how it works. Maybe in this world, someone else has been bestowed the powers instead of him. That wasn’t entirely impossible but still… Why was it like this though? Did Igor decide to give them later or did he simply just give up on them? After all, he has failed once before…

Still, it’s not like this was going to stop him, right? He still had his memories to work with, as well as his drive to help people. It was all still there. Whatever it was that had him reborn again in the same universe and gave him back his memories, perhaps it was all for a reason. Waiting around for someone else to steal people’s hearts was a gamble at best, especially if he’s not sure if Persona’s are even a thing here. The lack of powers would be limited at best but as long as he’s here, there’s still something he can do. Teaming up with Akechi to help Shiho would be a good place to start as any in convicting Kamoshida, with or without a Persona.

Akira sighs and tries to recall his time of death but he feels another wave of nausea again. Up until that point, he had no trouble remembering any of his other memories. It seemed that every time he was reminded of the encounter in the engine room, his body seemed to be physically rejecting the very notion of it. Perhaps it was a defense mechanism of some sort, desperate to remind the self that he was now indeed alive. 

Was he though?

He still had a hard time believing such a thing. The initial shock had worn off but now he was left to sort his thoughts on the matter and there was a _lot_ to go through.

Tomorrow would be his first day at Shujin, the day he physically dreaded both then and now. Of course, he didn't know that rumours about his assault would already spread so fast, (courtesy of Kamoshida, that asshole) and he really didn't want to go through that again. He hated the stare's most of all and the whispers that came with it. If he could, he just wanted to crawl into his bed forever and hide and hide and hide. His heart was pounding from imagining how tomorrow would go, how he would have to act as if nothing phased him. 

The cool and calm Akira Kurusu.

He rolled to his side on the bed, feeling a large lump in his throat of something unleashing. He wasn't fooling anyone right now. Beneath the constant jokes and half-serious manner Akira was playing to be, he was terrified. Because at the end of the day, no matter how many jokes he makes or how much he acts like it doesn't phase him, he will have to deal with it, with this world, as he's always done before.

Before he was able to dig himself deeper into his mental hole, his phone vibrated beside him. Akira grabbed it quickly, desperate to escape whatever he was feeling right now.

**Unknown Number: Good evening. This is Goro Akechi. I hope I didn't disturb you or anything.**

**Unknown Number: I just thought I'd give you a text so you'd have my contact info in case anything comes up soon.**

A wave of relief washed over Akira, grateful for the distraction. He changes his contact name.

**Akira: hey, it’s the man of the hour. i just saw someone talking about u on tv**

**Akira: looks like ur busy stealing people’s hearts, huh?**

**Sherlockechi: Ah, I’m surprised you saw that.**

**Sherlockechi: I must say, I’m a little embarrassed about the way they described me. I don’t know if I particularly enjoy them downgrading my work to “stealing people’s hearts”.**

**Akira: yeah, well, they gotta find some way to appeal to people. a catchphrase or something usually works**

**Akira: but i get not enjoying it. people might find it hard to take u seriously or easily dismiss ur work if they label u up as just a pretty boy detective**

**Sherlockechi: You’re right. I’m surprised you understand me so well.**

**Akira: well, looks like i’m the one stealing ur heart instead, huh?**

Well, that was a bit painful, even to type. He supposed it was because he was on a roll playing the eccentric flirt. Maybe he should consider thinking before he types before he gets the wrong idea.

**Akira: haha, sorry, looks like i still haven’t turned off my acting mode. it’s honestly kinda fun**

**Akira: anyways, i'm surprised you're up this late though**

**Sherlockechi: Surprisingly, that catchphrase suits you more than it does for me.**

That was a surprise. He wasn’t entirely wrong though, that catchphrase was something they used a lot as the Phantom Thieves before. It was a little strange to hear it roll around again, even if it was being used to describe Akechi. Still, to hear Akechi say it suited him more though, perhaps it was just deja vu.

**Sherlockechi: Oh, this is normal for me. I usually have work to do in the evening and if not, then I do school work.**

**Akira: sucks to be you**

**Sherlockechi: For you, maybe. I find my work very rewarding though.**

Man, the detective was as formal as ever in texts with the capitalizations and perfect grammar. It felt like he was reading emails from a teacher. Still, his new nickname was a tad bit too long but it had a nice ring to it nonetheless. It was a good thing the recipient can’t see their contact name or else he wouldn’t know if Akechi would be fine with it.

**Akira: sorry again about ruining ur chance to question kamoshida today.**

**Akira: but don't worry! suzui said she'll be friends with me. if i get her to warm up to me, it'll surely help for the investigation**

**Sherlockechi: Yes, you're right. If we get her testimony, she could be a key witness into exposing Kamoshida.**

**Sherlockechi: Don't worry about earlier though. It was a good call.**

**Sherlockechi: And to be honest, I'm still reeling from what happened earlier.**

**Akira: my acting sure came in handy huh?**

**Sherlockechi: …**

Wow, he's rude even in text. Akira shakes his head, chuckling to himself.

**Sherlockechi: Anyways, once again, I'm looking forward to working with you. I hope you'll be able to bring good results.**

**Akira: please, good results is my middle name**

**Sherlockechi: Akira "Good Results" Kurusu. Quite a mouthful, don't you think?**

**Akira: ur hurting me here**

**Akira: i want compensation for this**

**Sherlockechi: Compensation?**

**Akira: yes, i demand ramen**

**Akira: oh shoot, maybe i should've decided on u rewarding me with food everytime i help u out for a case 😨**

**Akira: it's not too late to add that to the deal right?**

**Akira: Akechi?**

**Sherlockechi: Haha. That depends on your abilities.**

**Sherlockechi: Goodnight, Kurusu.**

Well, guess that's as far as it goes. Hopefully, he was at least considering treating him from time to time. Come to think of it, the two never really had a chance to go eat anywhere other than Leblanc or the Jazz Club or that other cafe Akechi sometimes took him to. Even then, they've only mostly had drinks, nothing truly filling. He noticed Akechi sure liked his share of places to drink but Akira didn’t mind though. He found himself strangely fond of those days where he leisurely spent time with the detective, knowing he was busy enough as it is.

He supposed it wouldn't be so bad to take him out once in a while. It wouldn't be too weird, would it? Going out to eat with a former rival who tried to kill him in his past life? Honestly, it sounded like Akira's idea of a fun time.

Really, what could possibly go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, i'm really surprised people really liked the premise of this. that made me happy.
> 
> i'm trying to take my time with this because i still really need to think through some of the details of the plot and mostly because i want this to be something i'm proud of in the end when it's all finally finished. the last thing i want happening is rushing this and then experiencing serious burnout. that's the worst.
> 
> anyways, i'm super tired right now. take care and see you in chapter 3, whenever that rolls around.


	3. In which Akira reunites with the good old quartet again, shenanigans and all.

Despite Akira having memories of his past life, and remembering that he had school the next morning, somehow he had managed to wake up an hour late. Akira was too busy thinking so much last night that he fell asleep before putting on an alarm. He probably made the world record for the fastest morning routine ever possible, hastily putting on his uniform, brushing his teeth, and grabbing a piece of stale bread for breakfast. Sojiro yelled at him on the way out as he bolted into the street, only to backtrack when he remembered that it was supposed to rain later.

"I'm borrowing this!" Akira yelled as he grabbed the nearest umbrella in the rack near the door.

"You're getting an earful when you get back here after school!" Sojiro shouted at him on the way out.

Akira ran down the streets to the station. It was almost comical to watch as if he was straight out of a slice of life anime. He always thought those were ridiculous because only idiots would ever have a morning that exciting just because they were late. He never knew that he would come to the realization that he was, in fact, that very idiot.

By the time he got inside the train, he decided that this would be the last time he would ever be late. Akira just didn't have enough energy to have exciting mornings. He didn't know how much longer until his back would give out. It didn't help either that his lack of stamina when it came to running was almost nonexistent. Akira wonders himself how he ever got this far in life with such a miserable wreck of a body.

Once he got off the Aoyama-Itchome Station, he found that his heart was beating in anticipation of seeing his friends again. He ran past the crowds of people at the station, barely containing his excitement. Sure, his friends probably wouldn't remember him but he still longed to see them again. Akira would gladly welcome them, no matter how many times he would reincarnate.

As expected, the downpour had already started by the time he exited the station. He opened his umbrella, happy to see that he didn't remember wrong. As Akira walked past the shops to where he remembered Ann to be, he could hear his heart pounding in his ears. 

Then, a realization hit him. How was he going to introduce himself to her? Should he just pretend he didn't have an umbrella and stand beside her again? Or should he ask her if they wanted to share one together? The latter didn't sound too appealing; he would only just come off as a flirt hitting on her. He doesn't really want to keep playing that role, not if he can help it. The former wasn't any better either. This wasn't his umbrella after all so chucking it was out of the picture, and who knows what Sojiro would do if he actually lost it. 

Kick him out, probably. 

Yeah, anything but that.

Another thought crossed his mind: What if Akira was too late and she was already at school? Kamoshida might have already come and picked her up, driving her to school together. The thought of just the two of them alone in his car gave him the shivers.

Akira was nearing the little spot Ann would be standing at. A few blocks away, he could see a blonde girl taking shelter from the rain. He checked off his mental note of Ann's trademark features: Blonde pigtails? Check. A familiar hoodie is worn underneath the Shujin uniform? Check.

It really was Ann!

 _Oh my god, wait, I'm not ready?_ He thought to himself. _I didn't even come up with a plan yet!_

He was panicking so much that somehow he had slowed to a stop right next to her. She stared at him, curiously, eyeing him up and down. He really should have thought this through in the first place.

"Hey, can I help you?" She asked him, her voice chirpy. It didn't seem like she was weirded out by Akira's presence, yet. She was always such an angel. If it were him, he'd surely be weirded out by himself. As plain as he was, he couldn't deny that he can easily come off as suspicious.

Before Akira could say anything, however, Ann suddenly piped up, her face lit in recognition. "Wait a minute, curly hair that looks like it hasn't been combed in days… Big black glasses obscuring half your face... Have you possibly met Shiho before?"

"Um…" Looks like Shiho already told Ann about yesterday, with a perfect description of him too, right down to a tee. "Yes? Yes! That's me, alright."

"I knew it! She told me about you yesterday, about a weird, tall guy with bangs and glasses who confessed to her out of nowhere." She laughed to herself, before stopping in realization. "Um, no offense, of course."

"None taken. Honestly, I still can't believe I was born like this either."

"I'm kidding! Kidding! No need to put yourself down like that." She laughed again. "But anyway, who knew I'd meet you so soon? I have to thank you though, Shiho said you saved her yesterday."

"What? Saved her?" Akira asked, puzzled. He didn't recall doing anything like that except confessing in an embarrassing manner to her with about ten people to witness them. "Are you sure she said that? Because I don't think that's what happened at all…"

"Nope! I heard her loud and clear over the phone. Apparently, she had a rough time yesterday during practice and you happened to cheer her up then. So she's grateful for that."

"Oh, um, no problem!" Akira laughed nervously. "That's what I do."

Well, it was quite unintentional but regardless, he was glad it helped ease her a bit. 

"But if you're serious about Shiho, I'll have to get serious, too, then!" She laughed but it felt more like a threat to him. 

Akira laughed along. Was Ann perhaps jealous of him? It was possible, the two were very close and he remembered Ann being very distraught when Shiho jumped… In the end, she was able to recover but had to move to another school. Ann missed her for weeks during that time but resolved herself to work on her modeling to be stronger for Shiho. It was really touching how the two really cared for the other, possibly transcending the barriers of friendship and into something more… Was that really the case for Ann or was he just overthinking this, like always?

"Geez, this rain came out of nowhere, huh?" Ann said, frowning a bit. "You're on your way to school, right? Shujin?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure that's where I was yesterday."

"Don't worry, I noticed the uniform but I was just checking. Which means you're probably the transfer student then. I wonder if you're gonna be in my class though…" She trailed off, lost in thought.

 _Yes. If things are still the same, I'll be sitting right behind you, too. How's that for a convenient life plot device?_ He thought, chuckling a little to himself.

It was true that it's usually a given that people get along better with those sitting close to them but for it to be Ann, Shiho's best friend, who also happens to be mixed up in rumors regarding Kamoshida; it was too easy to just pass it all off as coincidence. It felt like everything in Tokyo was meant to be, that he wasn't just sent off here for no reason. Calling it destiny was maybe a little much but perhaps it wouldn't be so farfetched if he remembered Igor's words. After all, maybe there's some meaning in reliving his life again now, too. 

There has to be.

Akira held the umbrella over her head. "Want to go to school together? We can share my umbrella, it's big enough for two."

"Oh, will you? Thanks a lot!" Ann beamed at him and leaned close to him underneath the umbrella. The two started heading to school at a slow pace. "I can see why Shiho was flustered by you. You're a sweetheart, huh?"

Akira straightened his glasses. "I'm honoured. But also kind of embarrassed, because that's not true. Like at all."

"Haha, so you're actually shy? That's surprising. Shiho said you were so bold yesterday."

"That was a random spurt of courage. It happens. Randomly."

Ann just laughed again. It was so nice to hear her laugh and just to really see her. He remembered her being so initially wary when they had first met, instantly suspicious of Ryuji and him. Seeing her so carefree and welcoming to talk to Akira was a big relief.

"I'm surprised. I heard you were supposed to be a… delinquent." Ann said, a bit hesitant. "Um, but it's not like I really believed it! Rumours tend to get out of hand nowadays so I took it with a grain of salt. From what Shiho said, she thought you seemed like a good person. So, I want to believe you are, too."

"Thanks. You must really trust her, huh?"

"Yeah! I trust her more than anything and if she says you're good, then you're good with me, too."

Akira couldn't help but smile to himself, feeling extremely elated. He thought he'd be devastated by the fact that Ann wouldn't be able to remember her but with this, it seemed like she had really warmed up to him! Surely, it wouldn't be long before they could get back to the way they were before.

"But I am curious though if you don't mind me asking, why are people at school calling you a delinquent? Or like a… criminal even?"

Just as Akira was about to explain, a loud, boisterous voice interrupted him, spooking both him and Ann.

"Boo!" A familiar voice said from behind them that made Akira almost drop his umbrella and Ann jump.

"Agh! What! What the―" Ann turned around to find a familiar blond doofus―it's Ryuji!―behind them, grinning like the biggest fool ever. "Ryuji, you idiot! What the hell was that for?!"

"Hehe, I scared ya'! The look on your face is priceless, man!" He laughed, holding his stomach. "Oh, who's this guy? He your boyfriend?"

"Ugh, shut up! He's not, we literally just met. Besides, I'm not even―" She stops herself, looking uncomfortable. "Anyways, he's the new transfer student, um…"

"It's Akira," he smiled. "Akira Kurusu."

"Right, Akira then, if that's cool! I'm Ann Takamaki. You can call me just Ann though."

"I'm Ryuji Sakamoto. Ryuji's just fine." He beamed at him with his usual goofy smirk. "Speaking of which, can I get under your umbrella guys? I'm soaking wet here."

"What? No! Can't you see it's only good for two people? Don't you have your own umbrella?" Ann said, leaning closer to Akira.

"I forgot because I was in a hurry to get to school. Besides―" He hugged the two of them, trying to squeeze under the umbrella. "See? If I do this, we all fit! Alright, onwards!"

"Wait, no! Stop! This is too tight!" Ann exclaimed.

"Agreed!" Akira yelped. "Abort, Abort!"

The three of them struggled to walk together as if they were one big umbrella monster. Because Ryuji was hugging all of them, Akira was having a hard time keeping the umbrella steady in his free hand. It would tilt one way and then the other every time they so much as took a step. Akira and Ann tried to break loose of Ryuji's grip, tickling his arms which worked, forcing him to let go.

"Ugh, you idiot! We're already late for school, now you're making us even more so!" Ann said, trying to fix her ruffled clothes.

"Who cares? We're late either way. Not like we're missing anything." Ryuji scoffed.

Ann rolled her eyes and leaned close to Akira's ear. "Hey, on the count of three, let's ditch him."

"What?"

"One, two, three!"

Before Akira could even respond, Ann grabbed onto his arm and dragged him along, running in the rain. Ryuji yelled behind them, telling them to wait up. It was such a ridiculous sight but at the moment, Akira couldn't help but feel so very happy. This carefree moment, with all three of them goofing off, it had been so long since they could just let go. Despite having just met the two again for the first time, it had felt so natural and good to see them so welcoming, so accepting of him. What was he even worried about again?

If it was like this, then Akira was going to be okay, right?

But by the time the three of them reached the school, Kamoshida was there waiting for them by the steps, his arms crossed. He looked genuinely surprised to see Ann with them.

"You three are late by almost two hours. It's practically lunchtime!" He said, tapping his watch. He then turned to look at Ann. "Takamaki, why are you even with Sakamoto? You know better, he's a troublemaker. Nothing good ever comes from associating with _that_ one."

Ann looked like she struggled to say anything, faltering in fear in front of the gym teacher. Ryuji was about to snap before Akira stepped in front, shielding them both from view. "That's no way to talk about a student."

"What? Oh, you're from yesterday. The one who confessed to Suzui." Kamoshida cocked an eyebrow. "I just realized, you're also that transfer student, aren't you? The one who got expelled from their school? It was really unexpected to hear you have some violent tendencies. Scary to think of what could have happened to Suzui if she accepted your confession."

Akira flinched but he didn't waver, instead resolving to look at him straight in the eye. But when he tried to say something, he would falter a bit, losing his composure in front of the teacher. "I'm not―It wasn't…"

 _I'm not a criminal_ , he wanted to say. _I just wanted to help her then._

But nothing came out of his mouth.

It was pathetic, really. Even despite having memories of his other life, he would still tremble in fear in front of adults. What happened to the cool and charismatic Phantom Thieves Leader? Underneath his Joker Mask, was he really nothing but a hopeless fool?

Before he could say anything, however, Ann piped up. "Wait, violent tendencies? That can't be true, are you sure it was Akira? Shiho told me about him yesterday and he didn't even get upset about being rejected, in fact, he was happy to agree to be just her friend."

"Yeah, you're telling me this guy is a bigger troublemaker than I am?" Ryuji grabbed Akira's arm and waved it around. "This scrawny ass plain dude? Violent? Really? We were all sharing his umbrella earlier and not once did he even snap or show he was annoyed or something. Pretty sure you got the wrong guy dude."

"Are you two really questioning me?" Kamoshida said. "I'm not lying, I'm just saying it as it is, this guy is a pure criminal. You better watch out for him."

"What the hell―" Ryuji started before Akira stopped him.

"They heard you, okay? So, can we go inside now?" He asked. "It's still pouring out here."

Kamoshida gave them a once-over and stepped aside, wordlessly watching them as they entered the school building. They all breathed a sigh of relief once they were inside. He glanced at the two beside him, who both gave him a faint smile but he knew they were shaken up.

"Fuck, what a royal pain in the ass!" Ryuji exclaimed, stomping his foot in frustration. "I can't believe he just accused you of being a straight-up delinquent. That's so messed up."

"Well…" Akira started. Ryuji looked up at him in surprise. "Wait, no, no! It really isn't like that, I'm not a delinquent. But he's not wrong about my… um… my criminal record."

"What? Seriously?" Ryuji scrutinized him, looking incredulous. "What did you do, man?"

"Um, I―"

"Guys!" Ann exclaimed, forcing them both to look at her. "We have to get to class. We're already late, you know, and we don't want Kamoshida coming back in and chewing us out, right?"

"God, do we really have to?" The blonde sighed, ruffling his hair in frustration. "I'm too pissed off to pretend to focus in class. Can't we just skip?"

"No!" Ann smacked him, causing him to yelp in surprise. "I'm telling on you if you do, I swear."

"Ow! What the hell, man! I was joking!"

"Well, it's not funny. Come on, we have to get moving."

They all walked up the stairs towards the second floor in a rush. All the classes were in session already so there wasn't anyone around in the hallways to judge them.

"Do you know which room you're supposed to be in, Akira?" Ann asked.

"Yeah, um, Ms. Kawakami's."

"She's my teacher, too! I guess we're in the same class, then." She smiled at him.

"What? No fair, why couldn't you have been in my class instead?" Ryuji frowned. "Now I have to walk to my class alone."

"Life is unfair, okay. Now get going already!" Ann shooed him away with her hand as if Ryuji was a stray cat that was trying to steal her food.

Ryuji clicked his tongue and reluctantly left, his hands shoved into his pockets before turning to Akira and saying, "Yo, thanks for the umbrella, by the way. I'll see you around, yeah?"

Akira nodded, giving him a slight smile. Ryuji beamed, satisfied, before walking off towards his class. 

Ann shook her head and sighed. "Sorry about earlier, with Kamoshida. That wasn't quite the welcome that you were looking for, huh?"

"Hey, no need to say sorry. That wasn't your fault. And in the first place, I didn't really expect to be that welcomed anyway. Because, you know..." _Criminal record._

"Still, it's just―the way Kamoshida talked about you. It felt wrong to treat you that way. With such contempt." She gave him a sad smile. "I don't know."

"It's okay. I'm used to it." He gave her what he hoped was a comforting smile. 

"I don't think that's…" She gave him a hesitant look before turning away towards the door. "Anyway, we're late so I hope you won't mind when they, um, stare at you."

"Yeah." He couldn't tell her that he wouldn't be able to see them anyway with his bangs and glasses.

"Don't mind them, okay? If they look at you weird or whisper, don't think too hard about it. They're just―um, don't think too hard, okay?"

Akira didn't know if that was meant for him or more for herself. Perhaps it was both. He nodded anyway.

Ann took a deep breath before opening the door of the classroom. As soon as they walked through the door, everyone's eyes were instantly on them. Ms. Kawakami, who was in the middle of having her hand raised to the board, slowly lowered it at the sight of them. She looked at Ann and then at Akira, slight annoyance registering on her face before forcing herself to smile.

"Ah, it's you two. So good of you to join us."

"Sorry! We got caught up in the rain. It was so unexpected." Ann said, trying to sound lighthearted.

"It was but I don't think it should warrant being almost..." she glanced at her watch, "Geez, almost two hours late. We only have about half an hour left till lunch. What were you two even up to?"

The girls in the class were eyeing the two and began whispering amongst themselves, no doubt starting rumours about Ann. He glanced at her worriedly and saw that she had her fists clenched against her sides. 

This wasn't new for her. 

He of all people knows that. Before, she had talked about how she was always isolated simply because of the way she looked. She never quite had a sense of belonging amongst anybody until the Phantom Thieves came to be. It was the same for Akira, too.

But while the future of the Phantom Thieves in this timeline was uncertain, he didn't want his bonds with all of them to disappear despite it. He wasn't going to abandon them just because of some Persona mishaps. Akira decided that he was going to rebuild that place of belonging with all of them once more, so that they never have to feel alone again. 

Akira stepped in front of Ann, bowing deep to Ms. Kawakami. "I'm so sorry. There's a reason for that: You see, we were actually busy fighting a perverted shadow king. He came to the front of the school and held us up but we managed. Right, Ann?"

"What?" Ann looked incredulous, dumbfounded even. "Wait... Huh?"

There was a silence so quiet, you could practically hear a pin drop. Eventually, the class erupts into laughter.

"What the hell? Perverted shadow king?" A student exclaimed, his voice contorted into snickers. "What is he on?"

"Maybe he means Kamoshida?" Another asked.

"Ohh, that makes sense, he's―well, you know."

"Wait a minute, isn't he like the transfer student that confessed to Suzui yesterday?"

"Dude it was hilarious man, I wish I was there."

Akira looks up to see practically everyone in laughter. Even Ms. Kawakami, who was now trying to bring the class to order, struggled to keep a straight face together.

Ann only looked at Akira and smiled, shaking her head at him.

"Okay, okay! Settle down, now. Geez, looks like we got a joker here, huh?" Ms. Kawakami turned to Akira, doing her best to give him a stern look but failing. "Whether that actually happened or not, please refrain from calling staff―or anyone for that matter―inappropriate nicknames. Or I will have to tell Principal Kobayakawa."

Akira nodded, straightening up.

"Oh, so it was Kamoshida, right? She mentioned staff." One student whispered.

"It totally happened. He always likes to stay at the front and call out latecomers." Another one said.

"Seriously, he couldn't have given him a more perfect nickname."

"Alright, that's enough guys. Ann, you can take your seat now." She nodded at her towards her table by the window. Ann bows and goes to sit down. "In any case, we still need a proper introduction for you here. Mind doing that for us, without any unnecessary comments?"

Akira turns towards the classroom and bows. "My name is Akira Kurusu. I'm a transfer student here. I hope you will all take care of me from now on."

When Akira stands up straight, he could see the class still trying to settle their excitement down. In his past life, the class was so quiet, it was unsettling even. The most you could hear was the whispers about Akira's circumstances being passed around like hot potato. Now, there was no evidence of it, or if there was, they weren't showing it. Akira finds that he doesn't mind this at all.

"Alright. Go take the seat behind Ann and behave yourself." Ms. Kawakami gestures towards the desk. " _Please_."

She says the last part almost imploringly that Akira has no choice but to nod his head and quickly did as he was told.

 _Sorry, Ms. Kawakami. I really didn't mean to make a scene. I really didn't. But you know, at least it cracked everyone up. Even you_.

Well, Akira didn't have any superpowers, either with Personas or telepathy, that was certain. It just seemed like all Akira was good for now was giving every adult he met a big headache, whether they were supposed to be a future ally or not. And while it couldn't technically be classified as a power or such, Akira decided that he would have to make do with it in the meantime.

Ann gave him a little smile as he passed by. When he sat down, she turned to him and discreetly whispered, "Um, thanks for earlier, Akira. I don't know what even happened, I just―"

"Hey, you can tell me when you're ready," Akira said, reassuringly. "I get it. Really."

Ann breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"Anytime."

She smiled again before swiveling to turn towards the front.

Akira spent the rest of his morning at school, eavesdropping the conversations from his classmates nearby, and daydreaming.

* * *

Just like the first time around, Akira was the talk of the school, although this time, there seemed to be some mixed reception. On top of the rumours regarding his shady background, there was the added fact that people thought he didn't seem all too bad given his behaviour yesterday and today. In fact, numerous students have actually come up to him and asked about his confession to Shiho as well as his earlier comment about Kamoshida. 

Some still regarded him warily but otherwise, the reception was generally better than the first time, that was certain. At least people weren't actively avoiding him at every turn. Hell, people weren't automatically avoiding eye contact with him anymore. That was something. It was weird but it was probably just because he wasn't quite used to it, not being ignored or ostracized.

After class, Kawakami pulled him aside to scold him about calling Kamoshida a "perverted shadow king" but otherwise, he got off with a relatively small slap on the wrist. She even told him she wouldn't mention it to the gym teacher but that if he were to do it again, she wouldn't overlook it. He knew it was no use though. It was only a matter of time until word reached Kamoshida's ears. And word spreads uncannily fast in this school.

Akira decided that he should lay low before he got into more trouble. _For sure, this time. I need to stop acting like a dumbass_ , he thought as he made his way towards the school store, which was already packed with people.

He watched the students struggling to grab the last few snacks on stock. His stomach gurgled at the thought of food, remembering that he had only eaten stale bread for breakfast.

Akira took a deep breath, steeling himself to push through the crowd before he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Yo! What's up, man?" Ryuji bellowed.

Akira jumped at the sudden acknowledgment, a weird noise coming out of his mouth that sounded almost like "Uwoh!"

The blonde laughed at the sight of him so startled. "Whoa, sorry 'bout that. Didn't mean to scare ya', bro. What was that noise you made just now though?"

"Hey, don't judge me! I was startled. Weird noises happen when I'm startled. Like a warning call." Akira said quickly.

"What the hell?" He laughed again. "Bro, you're so weird. Not that that's bad or anything."

"That's good. So far, I think it's only been getting me into trouble so I want to try toning it down a bit."

"Hey, you don't need to do that. From what I can tell so far, you've been nothing but really chill and funny. If you get in trouble because of it, it's cuz' they don't have a sense of humor." Ryuji said, reassuringly. "So yeah, don't try to tone down anything. That's you, bro."

"Thanks, Ryuji. That means a lot." It really did. Ryuji wasn't the best at comforting people, he was awkward at best, but he made the effort to and that's what mattered. He loved Ryuji for that, just accepting him for whatever he was, faults and all.

"Haha, shit, I didn't mean to get so sappy. Don't worry about it." He looked away, trying to compose himself. "Well anyways, are you buying lunch or something?"

"Oh yeah, lunch!" Akira turned to the crowd which was now completely dissipated, as well as the stock of food. The only person left was the lunch lady who just gave him a dismissing shrug before preparing to clean up the place. "Damn."

Akira's stomach gurgled in sadness, patting it forlornly. "Sorry, stomach. Looks like we'll starve for today."

"Whoa, don't starve bro. You're already skinny enough as it is. Here." Ryuji handed him packaged yakisoba bread. His stomach gurgled eagerly at the sight of it. "I managed to snag two earlier but I'll give you the other one. I'd feel bad just eating all of it."

He took it gratefully. "Thanks! I'll give you change for it."

"What? No, no, I don't need that. But if you do want to thank me, you can keep me company for lunch. Only if you want to, though. No pressure."

"Can I?!" Akira exclaimed, before calming down and clearing his throat. "I mean, yeah, if you'll have me."

"Haha, got excited there, huh? Well, I guess I am, too. It's been a while since I had anyone with me for lunch." Ryuji had a small smile on his face, almost seemingly sad. Lonely, even. "Well, anyways, let's go eat bro. Follow me."

Akira followed him to the usual spot where they sat in the courtyard, by the vending machines. He bought themselves some drinks, Calpico for himself and Fanta for Ryuji, as thanks for the sandwich. They chatted mostly about Akira, of how he confessed to Shiho yesterday, and of his earlier comment on Kamoshida in class.

"Yo, I still can't believe you said that! Fuck, I wish I was there, man." Ryuji laughed. "Finally, someone who can call that pervert for what he is. You're priceless, dude!"

"Yeah, it was kind of spur of the moment. I actually kind of regret doing it now." Akira said, quietly munching on his yakisoba bread.

"What? Don't regret it, man, it was hilarious. It's a good first impression on everyone, you know? Especially with the rumours surrounding you, you kind of need it." He goes quiet for a bit before turning to Akira. "Hey, do you mind if I ask about your, like, criminal record? If it's a touchy subject though, I get it, you don't need to tell me. I just thought that it's unfair to hear all these nasty stuff without hearing it first from the dude himself."

"Oh no, it's fine. I'll tell you." Akira tells him the long spiel of that night, how he had witnessed the woman being harassed, his intervention, and the injury of the man, resulting in his stained record and current probation. 

Ryuji listened quietly the entire time, growing increasingly angry the more he went on until only after he was finished, he let out a loud, "FUCK!"

He crumpled up his finished sandwich wrapper and threw it in the trash in frustration, missing by a few inches. Ryuji sighed and got up, walking towards it to throw it properly. "Shit, sorry. I just got so mad hearing that. I just―I can't believe that even happened to you."

"Yeah."

"That's not even fair. It's like―" he struggles to find the right word, "like injustice, you know? You got punished for doing the right thing. The fucking bastard got away with nothing, all because he was an adult and you weren't. And that's the thing. You're just a kid man. A high schooler! This could ruin your future, there's no way he didn't know that. No―he probably knew but didn't care anyway. Either way, it's so messed up that I just―AGHH! Fuck!"

Akira gets it. He was furious when it happened the first time, and now that it's happening again, he still feels the same as ever. But if anything, having to maintain this constant anger is frankly super exhausting. Sometimes, Akira just wants to feel indifferent to it, pretend like it doesn't bother him. And for the most part, that's what he tries to do. But sometimes, that only just makes him feel worse and he doesn't know what he should rather do about it. 

Even throughout childhood, Akira has had to maintain indifference for pretty much everything in his life in order to cope with the fact that neither his parents nor his classmates and teachers truly gave a shit about him. As he continued to keep this apathetic facade up, Akira wondered what it was all for. 

To save face? To be strong? 

If he continued to live this way, he wondered what would be left of all the rage he had built up.

It was like that the first time in his other life. He had repressed his anger so much to the point that he was surprised he never triggered having a breakdown. And you have no idea how much he wanted to do just that. But he was always good at that, holding it in, saving face. After all, the worst thing he could ever do was make trouble for anyone. So, he learned to keep his presence low, to conceal himself, almost to the point of invisibility. Sometimes, it got to the point where he wondered if he was ever really here in the first place.

The first time Akira felt validated for his anger was through Ryuji when he took him to a ramen shop and felt comfortable to confide in him about his probation circumstances. It wasn't too different from the Ryuji of right now. Seeing someone express their anger over Akira's circumstances made him feel truly seen for the first time, and hearing it again for the second time just solidified how much he loved him for it.

"Thank you, Ryuji."

"What for, man? I didn't even do anything. Yet." Akira raised an eyebrow which only made Ryuji shrug. "Hey, all I'm saying is if you ever point the bastard out to me, don't blame me if things get a little dirty."

"Fair point, but please don't. I don't want you in probation, too." Akira chuckled. "But earlier, I meant thanks for getting angry for me."

"You don't need to thank me for that. Isn't that like the natural thing to do?" A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Anyways, are you telling me that you're not mad about this? How can you be so calm?"

"I'm not. But I have to be if I don't want to get expelled or get my probation extended."

"Oh. Right." Ryuji frowned, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "Shit, sorry, I didn't mean to―"

"No, no, it's fine. You know, it scares me anyway, of how well I can keep calm about all this." Akira said, shaking his head slightly. "Sometimes I just wonder how much longer I'll be able to keep all this up, you know?"

Ryuji was quiet for a bit before he put a hand on Akira's shoulder. "Look, Akira, you don't have to endure it anymore. You got me now. To be honest, I’ve done something similar before. Not like super bad where I got in probation or anything but… it really did mess me up. I know how it feels to have an adult, someone who should have really known better, abuse their authority, and shit all over me. And you know, I don't know if it’s because of that but I get the weird feeling that I've met you before, like I know I can trust you with my life or something. It's weird, but it's like deja vu―or a gut feeling, I don’t know. I know this sounds like a cliche or whatever because we've only just met but I've decided I'm gonna help you, whether you like it or not."

Perhaps this was just another side effect of Akira's reset seeping through everyone he meets but regardless, that didn't stop him from feeling touched. He really didn't deserve someone like Ryuji. "Well, that sure was a romantic way to say we're friends now, huh?"

"Wait... what?!" The blonde exclaimed, who was now blushing profusely. "What the hell, man! You know I was trying to be sincere and that's―that's like totally not what I meant. I'm not into dudes―mad respect for them though―but seriously, I'm not into you like that, I swear."

Akira only chuckled, thoroughly amused by Ryuji panicking. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you. I'm really happy though, actually."

"Geez, you made my heart jump there for a moment, man." His stomach proceeded to gurgle loudly.

"Hey, look, it's your gut feeling talking to you. What did it say, Ryuji?"

"Q-Quit it, man! You're gonna make me regret being friends with you now."

Akira laughed again. It had been a long time since he had felt so carefree and happy. Ryuji was always so good at that, making him laugh, that is. And teasing him was always so worth it.

It felt really good to have his best friend back again.

"Meow!" A small voice purred at them. Akira whipped around to find a small, black cat standing on the hedge. It was watching them intently.

"Morgana?!" Akira exclaimed.

"Who? Wait, how did a cat get here?" Ryuji asked, squinting at the feline.

The black cat, that may or may not be Akira's long time friend, jumped off the hedge and walked towards him, rubbing himself against Akira's pant leg. "Meow, meow!"

”Aww..." Akira picked up the cat, who was very complacent and didn't attempt to struggle at all. He looked at its big eyes, which were a stark blue. "You're Morgana, aren't you?"

In response, the cat meowed back, almost as if it was agreeing to his statement. It then proceeded to nuzzle his head against Akira's chest, meowing throughout as if it were telling him how much it missed him, which he probably was. Unless this was just a random stray that coincidentally shared the same build, eye colour, and yellow collar as Morgana, then, well, so be it. Maybe he just really missed that darn cat.

"Uhh, did you like, lose a cat or something?" Ryuji slowly asked, who still can't really believe this was happening. "Wait, why is it so talkative?"

"I didn't lose him, I guess I…" Akira trailed off, glancing at the cat, who was watching him intently. "... I think we just got separated. It feels like a long time since I've seen him again. It's the same for you, too, right, Morgana?"

The cat nodded and meowed almost in sadness.

"Uhh, did that cat just nod its head? Can it, like, understand human speech?" He said in wonder, creeping closer to take a look at the cat. "What the hell."

"Meow, meow. Meow." The cat narrowed its eyes at Ryuji. It looked as if it was ready to smack him away at any second.

"You're a smart guy, aren't cha? What do you know?" Ryuji beamed and patted the cat's head.

It seemed to have liked that and meowed, as if in a proud way. Morgana did always like his share of compliments. Akira was convinced.

Morgana then began a long series of meows, looking back and forth at both Akira and Ryuji. Ryuji glanced at Akira, raising an eyebrow. "Like I said, what a talkative boy. Wonder what it's trying to say."

"I don't know. Maybe he wants some sushi right now. Would you like that, Morgana?" Akira asked, turning to the black cat.

The cat only blinked at him, his eyes narrowed, before proceeding to meow again, albeit a bit more frantically.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down boy. We get it, you just want love, don'tcha?" Ryuji reached for Morgana before the cat smacked his hand away. "Ow, what the hell?"

Morgana hissed at him, before turning to Akira and jerking his head towards Ryuji.

"I think he wants you to apologize," Akira said.

"What the―Apologize? To a cat? No way man. I changed my mind, this little dude is a little devil." He stuck his tongue out at the cat, rubbing his wounded hand. "This is why I like dogs better. Cats are so freakin' moody, I swear."

The cat stuck out his tongue at him, too.

"Hey, what the hell? It did the same thing I did! Did you see that?! This guy is like aware or something?"

"Morgana's always been aware of people. He was my mentor." Akira glanced at Morgana who gave a small nod back.

"Dude, you're not sounding totally sane right now." Ryuji frowned, narrowing his eyes at Akira.  
"Anyways, do you know what this means? If we put this thing on the internet or something, we can make a profit off of this! We'll be famous!"

"Please don't turn Morgana into a cat meme." 

The cat hissed at Ryuji.

"No, not a cat meme! Although that isn't a bad idea. But I meant, like, a cat influencer." The blonde went quiet for a bit, deep in thought before a lightbulb flickered above him. "Oh my god, a catfluencer. Get it? Huh? Huh?"

Akira and Morgana both exchanged glances. Morgana slapped a paw on his face to express his disappointment.

"I think Morgana just called you lame."

"Hey, what the hell? You don't speak for the cat, bro! You don't even speak ‘Cat’, whatever the hell that is!"

"Well, technically, I have to speak for two now. Because Morgana used to be able to talk but for some reason, through some unforeseen force, he can't talk anymore. And I'm the only one that can pretty much understand him."

"Dude, what are you even t―"

"And! To prove it, I will now talk to Morgana." Akira turned to the cat on his lap and meowed at him. Morgana meowed back. "See?"

"What the hell? That was barely a conversation! Even I can do that!" Ryuji kneeled down to the cat's level and meowed at him. Morgana did not meow back, only blinking at him, unimpressed. "Okay, lemme at this cat! I'm not about to be disrespected by this little furball!"

"Ryuji! That's animal abuse! You can't fight a cat!"

"Guys?" Someone called out from behind them.

Akira looked up to see Ann and Shiho by the doorway, watching them curiously. Ann looked bewildered like she just saw a man about to get into a brawl with a cat. Shiho just looked concerned.

"Um, what in the world are you two doing?" Ann asked. "Wait, is that a cat?!"

In reflex, Akira put his shirt over Morgana, completely hiding him from view. In tandem, Ryuji put his elbow on Akira's knee and leaned his hand on his head, trying to look nonchalant.

"Whaaaat? What cat? Haha, there's no cat here. Nope." Ryuji laughed nervously, sweating bullets.

"M-Meow." Akira purred.

"See, it was just Akira! Haha, you big ol' furry."

"Akira's a furry?" Ann asked, her expression growing more bewildered.

Before anyone else can dig themselves into a hole further, Shiho let out a big laugh. In fact, she had a hard time controlling herself that she had to put a hand on Ann to support herself. The trio just exchanged glances.

"Oh my god, you guys―you two―why―" she wheezed. "―sorry, I can't―I can't stop laughing! Help―help me, Ann!"

"Uhhh, is she good?" Ryuji asked.

"Umm, I don't know actually. Shiho? Earth to Shiho, heyyyy, are you okay?" Ann shook Shiho a bit, which made her lose her balance and she crumpled to the floor in hysterics. "You guys broke her with your stupidity!"

"I didn't do anything," Akira said, innocently. Morgana, who was still under his shirt, licked his stomach, forcing him to remove him from underneath. "Ack, Morgana! Why!"

Morgana leaped onto Ryuji, who is now struggling to get him off. "What the fuck?! Get off of me!"

The cat then easily landed on the floor, hissing at Ryuji again. Ryuji hissed back.

"Are you hissing at a cat?" Ann asked.

"That cat is a little devil. It's out to get me or something, I don't know." He said, glaring at it.

"Aw, really? This little thing?" She put out her hand and stroked Morgana, who was already warming up to Ann. "It's so cute. I think it likes me. Shiho, stop laughing already and pet this cat."

"Okay, okay, sorry!" Shiho wiped tears out of her eyes, kneeled down by the cat, and started petting it, too. "Aw, good kitty."

"Wh―" Ryuji started up again, before stopping, massaging his forehead. "Okay, you know what, whatever. Whatever! I'm not gonna lose it over a cat anymore. I don't care."

"Why is there a cat here anyway?" Shiho asked. She looked up and locked eyes with Akira. They exchanged smiles.

"That's Morgana. He's my longtime friend." Akira said.

"You have a childhood cat friend? That's like _so_ cute." Ann said, in her usual jovial tone. "Morgana, huh? You're a good boy, aren't you? You got scared by the bad man, didn't you?"

"Who you callin' a bad man! That thing almost ripped my face off!"

"To be fair, you were going to make a profit off of turning him into a cat influencer," Akira said. "Sorry, I meant catfluencer."

"Catfluencer?" Shiho giggled, looking like she was about to laugh again.

"Shiho, stop." Ann shushed her. "Also, I don't know what you two have been discussing but maybe don't? Make money off a cat?"

"Hey, why are you judging me? Don't you like that stuff anyway? Cat memes or whatever?" Ryuji said.

"That's different! Cat memes aren't a money-making scheme, okay? They're pure and full of dopamine boosters. Nothing like what you're trying to do with Morgana." Ann bickered.

The two went on like that, arguing back and forth about the importance of cat memes and whether it was okay to profit off it or whatnot. Typical Ann-Ryuji stuff. Shiho, who was now carrying Morgana in her arms, walked over to Akira and gave the cat back to him. Morgana landed back onto his lap, curling into a comfortable ball.

Akira noticed that she now had a foot bandage on her right leg and a knee brace on the other one. Other than that, there didn't seem to be any other visible bruises, at least more than the ones she already had on from yesterday. It seemed like Akira's confession yesterday put a temporary damper to Kamoshida's abuse, or whatever he was trying to do in his office with Shiho. Knowing that, he felt immensely relieved.

She giggled a bit. "This guy really likes you, doesn't he?"

"Yeah," Akira said, running his hands over Morgana's fur, who purred back in response. "He means a lot to me. I'm just glad he's back."

"That's nice, I'm jealous you have a cat friend," Shiho said, fondly. "I've always wanted a cat but my parents are allergic so that's pretty much a done deal for me."

"Well, that's too bad. But you know, I'm gonna take him home with me to a cafe I'm staying at. You can come and visit him whenever you'd like, that is if Boss allows me to keep him. Which I think he'll approve of. I think."

"Wow, really? I'd love that! I'll make sure to come by with Ann. I hope he'll let you keep him." Shiho looks at him for a bit, thoughtfully, before giggling to herself. "Sorry, um, I was just thinking how well adjusted you seem here. I—well—I heard about the rumours regarding you and to be honest, I was worried, but if you've already met Ann and Sakamoto and found Morgana again, I think you'll be just fine."

This morning, he was worried out of his mind what his former friends would think of him once he saw them again. But with the way things went today, it felt like they really fell back into place. A little too well, even. He still didn't quite have a plan on how to move on without his Persona's and the like but for a split second, what if it was just all this? Was this what his life could have been like without the predestined prophecy of Akira needing to reform the world? Is this what life as a normal high school boy was like?

Akira thinks he can get used to this but he knows it would just be disgustingly ignorant of him. He still has something he needs to do. Lots, actually. And it has to start with the girl looking right at him. Before he can have a normal high school life, he's going to save Shiho's life first and protect her future with Ann.

"Thanks," Akira said, smiling at her. "I was worried, too, but you guys have really helped me out so far today. So I've been able to get through it."

"That's great, I'm really glad to hear that. Ah, and before I forget, my name's Shiho Suzui but just Shiho is fine." She smiled back, apologetically. "Sorry, I remembered I never got the chance to tell you my name yesterday, after, well..."

Her face suddenly turned red at that, laughing nervously to herself.

Akira felt just as embarrassed as she was. He still wished he could have gone about yesterday in a discreet and less lavish way but he just couldn't help himself, could he? That, and also he was actually pretty bad at improvising on the spot. "I'm―" he clears his throat once. "―Akira. Akira Kurusu. You can call me Akira." 

He was actually relieved that Shiho had remembered to introduce herself. It was actually getting pretty difficult to keep track of who he introduced himself to today. Akira wouldn't know what to do if he had accidentally said someone's name without introductions. Even worse if it was someone's first name. Explaining that was going to be awkward as hell without sounding like a total creep.

"Akira, it's nice to properly meet you." She laughed a little. "I know I turned you down yesterday but I was grateful you came then. I was―" she stopped herself, a bit reluctant. "It just made me happy, weirdly enough. I know this is tactless of me to say but I just really wanted to let you know."

"No worries. It feels kind of weird to be thanked for confessing to you in such an embarrassing manner. But I'm just glad you're feeling better now." Akira gave her a reassuring smile. "You... looked like you were in a lot of pain yesterday. Are you sure you're okay to be in school today?"

"Huh? Oh, um, yeah… That's―That was my fault anyway. I was careless." She gave a nervous laugh. It sounded hollow.

Akira knew that was far from the truth. There was no way she would have been able to withstand that volley, whether it was a hard hit or not. Even from where Akira was sitting from the bleachers, he could clearly see that Shiho wasn't in her best condition, considering how she looked like she could easily collapse at any second. Who knows what kind of torment she had suffered before to barely be on her feet during that practice?

"Um, besides. I can't miss practice today. Mr. Kamoshida doesn't like anyone skipping practice… no matter what."

Well, that was a red flag if he ever heard one. What happens if anyone missed a volleyball practice, even for a legitimate reason? Akira was about to ask Shiho but stopped himself, remembering that she was being vague for a reason. Even if she wanted to tell him, she couldn't for fear of Kamoshida.

"Anyways, I'm glad to hear you're doing okay on your first day," Shiho said, changing the subject, which Akira didn't blame her for. "I know what it's like to have rumours spread and have to worry about navigating the school. I don't want it to be like that for you here."

"Is… Is that what it's like for you now?" Akira asked, carefully. "I don't mean to pry but, well, I'm just kind of worried. About you."

Shiho was quiet for a bit. Her expression shifted a bit into what looked like Akira thought was a mix of fear and apprehension. He noticed that she was now shaking slightly, and so she crossed her arms on her chest in an attempt to hide that.

"Um, I-I'm fine. I was talking about my… um… my time in elementary." She said, hesitantly. "You don't need to worry about me…"

Akira was about to say something before realizing he wasn't going to be able to help her at all at this rate. Shiho needed time to open up to him and Akira needed time to make her comfortable as well as decreasing the time she spent with Kamoshida. For now, he was going to have to sit through this obvious lie and grit his teeth. If he wanted to save her, he had to do this. Things aren't going to happen overnight, he knows this, but it didn't make it any less frustrating.

"Okay." Akira nodded, deciding to not push any further. "Um, I know we've only just met but if you ever need anything, you can always ask me. And you have Ann, right? Don't be afraid to turn to me or her for help, okay?"

Shiho looked at him and seemed like she was about to cry. But just when he thought that she was going to tear up, she managed to steel herself and gave Akira a big smile. "Thank you, Akira. The same goes for me, too, of course."

He nodded again and tried to give her what he hoped was an understanding smile. It felt stiff on his face. He hoped that this would be enough for now. It had to be.

 _Otherwise, I have… if I remember correctly… four or five days from now where she jumps off the school rooftop,_ Akira thought. _That's not a lot of time. Not a lot at all..._

Akira feels his phone buzz in his pocket. He takes it out to see several texts from the only detective he knows that enjoys texting in a way so weirdly formal that Akira almost thinks it's a ruse to make him as uncomfortable as possible.

**Sherlockechi: Good afternoon. I hope school is going well for you.**

**Sherlockechi: Don't be surprised if you see me at Leblanc later. I was thinking that we should discuss a proper plan for exposing and stopping Kamoshida.**

**Sherlockechi: I would say that it's unfair to ask this of you when you’re just starting to adjust here but the partnership was your idea.**

**Sherlockechi: Not that I'm complaining, of course. I'll need all the intel and help that I can get. I'll be waiting for you, then, okay?**

Perfect timing. That guy always knows what to do and when to do it. Eerily, so, but otherwise, very convenient for Akira. He needed to get started on this asap if he was on a time crunch, after all.

Akira texts him back a response, before remembering that Shiho was watching him. "Sorry, my, um―" Friend? Rival? Shit, how the hell did he refer to Akechi again? What can he even refer to him as, considering his complicated and ambiguous relationship with him? "―someone texted me. Just some stuff I'm helping them with."

"It's okay. Don't worry about it." Shiho gave him a patient smile. 

He could tell that she was curious about it but because she was so timid, she probably felt that it wasn't really her place to ask about it.

Akira finishes texting Akechi and hands his phone to her. "Speaking of which, is it okay if I can get your number?" And then realizing how weird that sounded, he added, "Not in a romantic way, of course! As friends! Compadres!"

Shiho blinked at him for a bit before bursting out into a laughing fit again. She calmed down quickly this time and took the phone gratefully from him. "Of course!"

As she typed her digits in, Akira noticed Ryuji and Ann, who he didn't even notice that they had stopped their conversation a while ago, was now watching them intently.

"Wow, bro. Already got a girl's number on your first day and you didn't even bother to ask me for mine? I can't tell whether to be impressed or hurt." Ryuji said, in mock sarcasm. "Actually, I think I'm gonna feel hurt. Give me your number, bro!"

"Hey, give me yours, too! It's not fair you're getting chummy by yourselves!" Ann said, scooting close to Shiho.

The next few minutes went by with Ann and Ryuji fighting for Akira's phone. Morgana, who was disturbed by everyone making a racket, managed to jump up and grab the phone with his mouth. He landed on his feet and looked at Akira expectantly, like a dog waiting for a treat. Ryuji, Ann, and Shiho just looked at Morgana in amazement.

"Did anybody get that on video?" Ryuji asked.

* * *

When Akira got back to Leblanc afterschool, Akechi was waiting for him, as he said he would be. He was seated inside a booth instead of the usual spot by the countertop. Akira noticed it was because he had his laptop out and was busy looking at it while writing stuff down on his notebook. He gave him a smile when he saw Akira walk in.

Sojiro, however, did not smile at him in greeting. He was frowning, as usual. Actually, he seemed more angry than usual, too. His eyebrows were furrowed, forming a tiny hill above the bridge of his nose. Akira was worried if he kept it up like that, it would stay furrowed for the rest of his life.

"Late on your first day to Tokyo and late on your first day to school. I think I'm starting to see a pattern here." Sojiro said, his tone filled with annoyance.

"Sorry, it won't happen again." He said, bowing to the man.

The old man just sighed and massaged his forehead. "Oh, it better not or there's hell to pay. Just get yourself together, will you? You do know what probation means, right?"

"Yes, I'm sorry Boss," Akira said, promptly. It was better to not say anything unnecessary, especially when Sojiro was in a bad mood. "Um, thanks for the umbrella though."

"Umbrella?" Sojiro watched him put the umbrella back into the umbrella stand by the door. "Oh yeah, that. I'm surprised you even knew it was raining. Weather report didn't mention anything like that at all."

"Like I said. Third eye." Well, there goes that plan on not saying unnecessary stuff.

"Hey, I'm still mad at you." He shook his head. "But since Akechi's here again today, I'll spare you the whole spiel so he can focus better on his work. Behave yourself, okay? I'm serious."

Akira nodded, and from the corner of his eye, thought he saw Akechi snicker from behind his laptop. He was so gonna get it later. Akira was about to move to the booth before he felt something move around in his bag. Morgana poked his head out of the bag opening, meowing in what sounded like annoyance. 

He must've wanted some more air to breathe. Whoops.

"Um, is that a cat? How does it even fit in that bag? And why is it―You know what. Whatever. I really need to stop questioning things around you." Sojiro said in resignation that he almost felt bad for the man, dealing with his constant antics. "Pets aren't allowed here, you know. This isn't a cat cafe, after all."

"A cat?" Akechi asked, looking up from his laptop.

"Yeah, um, I found him wandering around in school. He doesn't have anywhere to go. No name on the collar or anything. And I didn't want to just leave him so… I thought…" Akira trailed off, trying to sound as guilt trippy as he possibly could.

Morgana jumped out of the bag and landed on the floor. He did what Akira thinks was his best impression of Puss in Boots, doing that whole cute you-can't-say-no-to-this-will-you face.

"Hm, well." Sojiro falters. "I guess taking care of a cat would be a good way to keep up good behaviour. And well, if it looks at me like that, I can't just turn it away, can I?"

"It is a cute cat." Akechi smiled down at Morgana, offering his hand to him.

Morgana looked at him curiously, then began meowing at him, looking back and forth between him and Akira. He looked at Akira expectantly.

"Oh, that's Akechi. He's helping me out for various things because, for some reason, he thinks he lives at this cafe, too, and thinks his sole purpose is bothering me whenever he gets the chance." Akira said before earning a look from Sojiro. "Which I _guess_ , means we're friends now or something."

"For a second there, I thought you were going to leave it at that. Glad to know we're friends now, on top of partners." Akechi said, seemingly amused.

"Yeah, don't push your luck, Sherlock."

Akechi just laughed. 

Sojiro raised an eyebrow. 

Akira groaned in frustration.

Morgana looked between Akechi and Akira again, before moving closer to the detective to lick his hand.

"Haha, that tickles." Akechi giggled.

"Alright, well, since it's clearly so well behaved if you want it to stay here, you better keep it that way, okay? You can't let it run around the cafe so keep it upstairs during business hours. You're the one responsible for it now." Sojiro explained. "And do not, under any circumstances, let it make any mess around here. If I catch it breaking anything, I'm blaming you."

"Yes, Boss! Thank you!" Akira exclaimed. "I swear, Morgana is going to be the best cafe cat ever."

"Yeah, yeah, just please stop giving me a headache and shape up, will you?" Sojiro said, dismissively.

Morgana trotted back to Akira and meowed a series of meows at him, all of which Akira did not understand at all. This language barrier was going to be harder than he thought it would be.

"Yeah, Morgana. Sojiro's letting you stay here. Say thank you to him." He said, scratching Morgana behind the ears which he seemed to like a lot. Morgana meowed back in response.

"You already named the cat Morgana? I was hoping I got to name it…" Sojiro said, disappointed. "Still, it's a very responsive cat, huh? Must be well trained or something."

"Yes, you speak to it like it's a person or something. Do you perhaps understand a cat's language?" Akechi asked.

"Actually, it's a talent of mine. I will now demonstrate." 

Akira cleared his throat and meowed something to the equivalent to _Why the hell is Akechi so damn perceptive? You don't even talk anymore Morgana, and I just look like I'm insane for even still talking to you. I don't even know if you understand me anymore. Do you understand me, Morgana? I missed you, you know._

To which Morgana just responded back in approximately 30 rapid meows back, which he thinks meant _Akechi sure is annoying as always. And what do you mean, you can't hear me? Can't you hear me? I can still understand you. I missed you, too, Akira._

Well, that's what he thinks the rough translation would be anyway.

Akechi and Sojiro just exchanged glances. Sojiro looked at him a bit worriedly. "Um, oookay. So, what did the cat say?"

"He said thanks for letting me stay here."

Akechi just burst into laughter. "Talented, isn't he?"

"Akechi, I'm glad you're here or I'm afraid I'm going to go insane taking care of this guy," Sojiro said, sighing. He went to the kitchen, grabbed a bowl, and poured milk into it. He then walked around the counter, placing it onto the floor of the cafe. Morgana walked over to it and eagerly lapped up the milk. "There we go. Oh, don't forget to grab some food for it. I'll leave you some change so you can buy some at the store nearby."

"Thanks, Boss," Akira said.

Sojiro grunted back in response, placing a crumpled piece of 2000 yen on the counter. "That's enough for the food and stuff for it, right? Make sure to potty train him and don't forget to wash the bowl after he’s done. Also, you can take out another bowl to designate it for his food. Leave that one out for his water or milk, too."

Despite Sojiro's grumbling, Akira couldn't help but smile to himself. He knew Sojiro had always had a soft heart, and he knew this too, was just his way of expressing he cared.

"The cafe closes in an hour, but I'm gonna start cleaning up. Make sure to buy the stuff before I leave because I'm gonna lock up. The grocery store might close early, too."

"Oh, if that's the case, I'll go buy it now," Akira said. "Can Morgana stay here?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll keep watch over it. Geez, you're worried about a cat going into a grocery but not a cafe?" Sojiro mumbled.

"Mind if I come? I need to stretch for a bit, I've been working for quite a while." Akechi asked, closing his laptop.

"Can Akechi stay here?" Sojiro gave Akira a look. "Nevermind, you can come…"

The detective chuckled again.

"Akechi, you can leave your stuff there. I'll watch over it. There're no other customers around, anyway." Sojiro said.

"Thank you, but I'll clean up anyway. I'm worried Morgana might be curious and mess with my work." Akechi said, packing his stuff into his briefcase. "I'll leave it behind the counter with you, though, if you don't mind, Boss? I'll keep my hands free in case I need to carry anything for Akira."

"Sure, there's an empty spot beside those containers there."

"Geez, thanks. What are you, my boyfriend or manservant?" Akira said, immediately regretting his choice of words. "Actually, manservant doesn't sound so bad."

"What about boyfriend?" Akechi asked, an amusing smile forming on his irritatingly handsome face.

"Wrong choice of words. I regret it. Besides, you have a long way to go if that's what you want. Which, by the way, not interested." He quickly said.

"Not interested in boys or not interested in me?"

"Take a wild guess."

Sojiro cleared his throat, prompting Akira to take the money and rush out the door. He owed it to him for being uncomfortable first because Akira was always very good at digging himself into holes a lot. It's not like he was entirely uncomfortable with boys, he didn't really have a preference after all, but it was Akechi he had a problem with. 

Why was he always so good at making Akira dig himself into holes?

Akira already had a headstart going to the grocery store. He heard the door of Leblanc open and close, followed by a few footsteps coming closer.

"So, it's not the latter right?"

_Ohhhh my goooddd, leave me alone already Akechi._

"No. I'm not looking to date anyone right now, anyway," Akira said, trying to walk fast.

"But you're into boys?" Akechi asked, trying to keep up with him.

"Who knows? I've never really cared either way."

"So, you're bisexual then?"

"Sure."

"Okay."

"Why are you so curious anyway? Are you gay?"

"I don't know. Perhaps. I've never really thought about it either." Akechi said, thoughtfully. "And besides, I've always been too busy with other priorities."

Both of them went quiet after that. Akira grabbed a basket near the entrance of the store, Akechi following close behind.

Akira didn't really know what to think about Akechi's sexuality. It's not like it was his business anyway. As far as he was concerned, Akira was too busy trying to be invisible to find time to fall in love with anyone. Or everyone was too busy trying to treat him as something less than. Perhaps it was the same for the detective, too. Maybe he spent too much time trying to please everyone in his life that love was something so beyond him.

_Birds of a feather, huh._

"Have you ever thought about dating anyone?" Akira asked him slowly, turning around the corner towards the pet food aisle.

"Not particularly. As I said, I've always had my hands full of work and school so I've never had time to even think about love or the sort. I've also never really met anyone I fancied anyway."

"Huh, fair enough." Akira took a box of cat food and pretended to inspect it. "I'm probably the same way."

"You've never met anyone you liked either?" Akechi asked from somewhere beside him.

"Yeah, well. As you can probably guess, my reputation isn't too hot right now. It never has been anyway. So I never really had any friends before in my other school, or like…" Akira trailed off. "...ever."

He waited for Akechi to laugh, to make a joke, or anything. He braced himself for it, ready to hurl a comment that was equally as bad if it meant getting him off his back about it. But none came. Instead, Akira was forced to take a peek from the cat food to look at Akechi. He was looking right at him, his expression unreadable. Signs of pity were nowhere to be seen.

"Sorry, I was just a little surprised. I had you taken for someone that could easily make friends. I guess I was mistaken." Akechi said, quietly.

"No, it's fine." Akira shook his head, feeling a bit bad about assuming the worst in him. "I've actually never been good at that sort of thing. I look like I do but, well, it's not true. I don't know what I'm doing half the time."

Akechi chuckled softly. "I'll admit, I'm in the same boat."

Akira raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes, really. I'm not, ah, good with people, per say. Sure, I can quote-unquote 'charm' them as a detective. But that's…" he trails off a bit, hesitant. "That's nothing more but a facade. It's just something I put up because it's what the people want. I can say whatever they want me to say and they'll eat it all up. But I've never really had anyone _see_ me."

He noticed Akechi was fidgeting, his black gloves were fiddling by themselves, unsure of what to do, where to hide. He looked strange without his usual briefcase. Akira thought that maybe he used it as a shield of some form, something to hide himself with, or therefore, hide his hands with. If he didn't have something to hold, his hands would feel restless. Perhaps it was similar in the way Akira used his hair and glasses as a shield, too.

"Same here." Akira had meant to say that in his head but it came out of his mouth anyway.

Akechi seemed to have caught it and looked up at him, his fidgeting stopped.

"I-I mean, um…" Akira racked his brain for a response, anything to get himself out of this. Anything to satisfy the detective. But he came up empty and the only thing he could think to talk about was about himself. The truth. "To be honest, I've kind of always went along with people, too; I said everything they wanted to hear. Did everything for them. I wanted them to be happy, more than anything else. More than… well, more than me, I guess." Akira cleared his throat, a bit uncomfortable by the sudden notion of vulnerability. "Uhh, yeah. But I wouldn't say I'm always putting up a front. I mean, I'd like to think this is me. Acting dumb and getting on everyone's nerves, but it's me. But even when I do that, be myself, I still don't really feel… seen, either. Like I feel unsatisfied, or something. That feeling kind of eats away at me, never leaving me. Even when I want to do something about it, I don’t know how. I wouldn’t know where to start."

It was Akira's turn to fidget. He turned to the box of cat treats and flipped it over, scanning the nutritional value section just to ease the tension of the moment. For every second that neither of them said anything, the louder Akira's heartbeat sounded in his ears.

Akira was surprised, about a lot of things actually. He didn't really know how the subject went from sexual orientation to, well, _this_. Having no friends. Not knowing how to be around people. Feeling seen or unseen. Akira never liked thinking about topics like these because he knew how it made him feel. It felt like he was being exposed, the innermost part of himself was being dissected and laid bare to any oncoming spectators, like for Akechi right now.

But strangely enough, he felt like he of all people would understand. He said it himself after all, that he's had to go his whole life faking smiles and feigning interest, all just to have someone look at him. To have someone need him. Akira felt that because he himself lived that, too. His time with the Phantom Thieves before was exactly like that, no matter how much he tried to deny it to himself.

Every time he spent time with them, he always did his best to help, going so far as to pretend to be someone's boyfriend or act as a backup in a potentially dangerous confrontation or even change someone's heart by himself behind the scenes. And it's not like he was complaining, he enjoyed doing them. Akira would do anything for his friends if it meant seeing them happy. But somewhere, he couldn't help but feel a nagging sensation of discontent. Of selfish unrest.

What about him? 

_What about me?_

And each time those thoughts popped up, he would push it down further, repressing it as much as he could. That's not what a good friend would do, he'd tell himself. They need him. He was their leader, for god's sake, he had to be their pillar of strength. They were depending on him to be there for them. 

So, maybe it was the same for him. Maybe Akechi needed him, too, right now. After all, there was a reason he was sharing this side of himself to him. Complicated feelings aside, he wasn't so cruel as to turn away from such things.

"Sorry, um, anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I think it's normal to feel that way. Putting up a facade because you want people to like you. I'm kind of the same way, right? I'm not going to look at you any differently because you admitted that." Akira paused a bit, trying to find the right words to articulate himself better. So that he can fully get this across to Akechi. "So if you can find solace in being in the same boat as me, I think that'd be great. Maybe then we won't have to feel so… unseen, you know?"

When Akechi didn't say anything, Akira slowly looked up from the box of cat food. Akechi had a soft expression on his face, a bit somber-looking almost. He looked as if he understood everything he had said as if it had really resonated with him. And that made Akira feel strangely relieved.

"You're…" Akechi mumbled before stopping his train of thought, shaking his head. "You're really something, you know that? I can't remember the last time I felt this…"

"Relieved?" Akira suggested.

Akechi smiled at him, warmly. "Yes, exactly. Thank you, Kurusu."

"It's nothing."

Strangely enough, Akira did feel better. There was something so cathartic about sharing a part of one's self with someone. It's like they get to carry that part of him wherever, throughout their whole life. Instead of a burden to lug around, it was something to be cherished. And Akira wanted to cherish this part of Akechi that he's never had the heart to share with anyone before.

"I hope it's the same for you, too. This boat that we're in anyway." Akechi said. "I hope it helps you feel better about yourself that I'm here. And for the record, I think you're doing well despite everything. Just don't forget that you're allowed to be more open about your needs and wants. It's fine to be selfish every now and then. Anyone can do that. And you should really owe it to yourself to think for yourself. No one will blame you for that, I promise."

"Selfish, huh? What a wild concept..." Akira mumbled. "Sounds easier said than done, to be honest."

Akechi chuckled. "I suppose that can take practice if you're naturally selfless. You can take your time with it. I wouldn’t want you to stress too much about it when you already have so many other things to worry about. At least if it's around me, I'd like you to breathe easy and not have to overexert yourself. So―"

He was cut short by a lady coming up from behind that Akira had to pull the detective a little closer to him to make room for her. The lady then proceeded to check the shelf next to them, completely oblivious to the awkward atmosphere she had now created for the two boys. Akira was so invested in having a heart to heart with Akechi that he had actually almost forgotten that they were in a grocery store in the first place.

Embarrassed, Akira tried to bring Akechi's attention to the box of cat food he was still, in fact, holding. "Heyyy! So, cat food, am I right? Do you think this is healthy enough for Morgana?"

Akechi, who seemed to be equally as flustered, leaned close to Akira to read the box. "Right! Morgana! I almost forgot, let me see..."

The close proximity of Akechi made Akira even more embarrassed, forcing himself to thrust the box towards the detective. "Here, take it! I'll grab another brand so we can compare the two. Cover more ground, you know?"

"Yes, that's―that's a great idea!" Akechi exclaimed, his voice uncharacteristically cracking.

"Okay! Yeah, teamwork!" Akira added unhelpfully. "For Morgana!"

The lady glanced at them, most likely a bit weirded out.

 _Yes, miss. I am just as uncomfortable as you are. Which is totally half your fault, and half ours. I don’t know why this is happening or how it even got to this point,_ Akira thought. _But you know what, I guess that's how it'll be from now on, spending time with Akechi. And I guess I have to start being okay with that._

"Hey, have you ever eaten cat food before?" Akira asked, quite randomly, if only to ease the awkward tension from earlier. Akechi looked up at him, giving him a strange look.

"Um... no?" He answered, slowly. "Why, have you?"

"Nah, but I am kind of curious."

Akechi's face turns grave. " _Please_ don't try Morgana's food, Kurusu."

"I won't!" Akira said, dismissively. "Maybe."

The detective's eyes widened at that. Akira noticed the lady, who was most definitely weirded out now, began walking away towards the other end of the aisle.

"Are you always like this?" Akechi sighed.

"That's not very nice of you, Mr. Goro Akechi. I was genuinely curious."

Akechi shook his head at that. "Unbelievable," he mumbled to himself. But it didn't seem like he said it with bad intention. Akira barely caught the slight upturn of a smirk on his face.

He had to admit, it was kind of fun messing around with Akechi.

"Aw, are you starting to regret our partnership?" Akira nudged the detective with his elbow.

"Not at all." Akechi smiled at him. "It's been a joy to have you around lately, eccentric as you are. And besides, you're all I've got, after all."

Embarrassing. Absolutely embarrassing.

What was Akira even supposed to say to that? How can he even say something so sappy? Not that it was a bad thing, Akira was a sucker for stuff like that. But Akechi's been saying stuff like that all day, like with the whole being in the same boat thing, which Akira started by the way but that’s beside the point. He was slightly glad that he was interrupted by the lady earlier but at the same time, a bit frustrated that the moment was cut short. Akira knew Akechi was prone to oversharing personal details of his life, and that he certainly did not do it often with other people. 

It was only with him.

And there was great comfort in knowing that, being one of the only people that really knew Goro Akechi. Quite frankly, he wanted to know more about him, more than ever before. But how was he supposed to get to know Akechi if he couldn't even handle him dishing out these smooth lines straight out of a cheesy, romance flick?

_It's not my fault I've never had anyone tell me they were happy to have me! I'm just affection starved, that's what! And, if I'm ignoring my past memories (which is pretty hard by the way), we've literally only just met! Akechi does not know me! So why is he like this? Why?!_

Akira put the cat food he was holding back on the shelf, took the box Akechi was holding, and shoved it into his basket. He turned on his heel, furiously fast-walking towards the next aisle.

"Hey, we didn't even compare the cat food yet? You're going to settle on that?" Akechi called out to him.

"Shut up. This is all your fault, you know." Akira said, feeling his face grow hot. "If you're not gonna regret this partnership thing, then I sure as hell am starting to. An ugly-ass, plain mob character like me paired with a popular and pretty detective like you is like asking for a disaster to happen. Why did I sign myself up for this? I'm going to die, I swear. I'm going to die."

Akira heard a bark of laughter from the annoying culprit behind him which only made him feel even more embarrassed.

It really wasn't fair. Akira thinks that if Akechi keeps being like this, he's going to find it really difficult trying to avoid him. Which so far, has already backfired from the moment he first stepped foot in Tokyo. Besides, there was no point in avoiding the guy anyway, what with the newly established partnership they created, courtesy of _Akira's_ proposal.

Sure, maybe Akira just really liked digging himself into holes. Who knows? 

Did Akira always have a masochistic disposition like this? 

Was he finally losing it after everything?

Perhaps, this really was just how spending time with Goro Akechi was going to be. And you know what, maybe Akira was actually starting to be okay with that again. If only because, deep down―way deep down―he actually, really, really missed this. 

Akechi being a part of his life, that is.

* * *

When the two got to the cafe that evening, Sojiro scolded Akira (again), for taking too long at the grocery store this time. The old man let Akechi grab his stuff back and didn't hurl any scolding his way despite being the one who went with Akira. By then, most of the stuff he said went in one ear and out the other one so Akira proceeded to just absentmindedly agree while filling up Morgana's food bowl.

Akechi set up his stuff again in the booth, turning on his laptop and opening his notebook on the side. Akira stored all the new stuff for Morgana in a cabinet Sojiro said he wasn't really using.

Sojiro then pulled him aside behind the counter, albeit a bit reluctantly. "Hey so, um, I don't really know how to go about this…"

Wait, was he about to get kicked out already?

"Boss, please don't kick me out. I know I've been a real pain in the ass these couple of days but I really like it here and I swear I'll―" Akira rambled.

"What? What are you talking about? I'm not kicking you out." Sojiro said, a bit taken aback. "Well, you have been a big pain in the ass but you haven't done anything illegal or immoral, at least I sure hope not. Besides, I still have a legal duty to look after you until your probation ends. I plan to see it through to the end, no matter how cheeky you are."

"Oh," Akira said. Well, he might have gotten ahead of himself there but that certainly was reassuring. "I'm sorry. I kinda panicked a little."

Surprisingly, that made Sojiro laugh. "It's fine. It's a little strange to see someone convicted of assault to be so desperate to stay here but I hope that just means you'll take this more seriously from now on."

Akira nodded.

"Good." The old man sighed a bit, scratching the back of his head. "Anyways, as I was saying. Did you eat anything at school today?"

"I had yakisoba bread for lunch. My friend gave it to me."

"Bread, huh? You already made a friend, too?" Sojiro looked impressed. "Hopefully they're a good influence on you."

"He is, I promise." Well, Ryuji was certainly rowdy and impulsive but he had his good points. They were best friends before for a reason.

"In any case, do you, perhaps, cook by any chance?"

"Cook?" Akira's never really cooked before in this life but if he had to rely on his past memories to make something, he thought it might be enough to suffice. "Well, a little. Yeah."

"And you've never burned down anything before, have you?"

"No, no! I'm not that bad, I swear." Akira chuckled.

"Okay." Sojiro took a deep breath and looked like he was preparing to give Akira the news of a lifetime. "Then, if you promise to be as clean and as organized as possible, I can let you access the kitchen here. You can use it to make lunch or breakfast or whatever."

Akira's eyes lit up at that. "Wait, seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. But before you get too excited, I have some conditions. You can only use leftover ingredients in the fridge. I can't have you using up all the new stuff. That's for work, of course. If you want more ingredients, you'll need to get that on your own. I'm still planning on letting you help out here, too, but I can't promise I'll pay you too much so I trust you're decent enough to get a job or something. Can you be sure to follow all that for me?"

Sojiro was already giving him access to the kitchen this early in his life? That was probably one of the biggest honours he ever got when he first started out here in his other life. Even then, it took him a while before Sojiro even let him touch anything downstairs. What made him have a sudden change of heart?

"Yeah―Yes! I can do that, thank you, Boss!" Akira exclaimed. "Are… um, are you sure it's really okay for me to use your kitchen though? Not that I'm complaining―of course not―but it's just. You know." 

He shrugged, hoping Sojiro understood that this was him they were talking about. The same guy he scolded for being late getting here from his hometown to Tokyo, and going to school and even taking too long at a grocery store not even a minute away. Akira just wanted the old man to be absolutely sure that he wasn't going senile already in letting him have this privilege.

"Well, now that you say that, I'm actually really, REALLY reluctant about it but…" Sojiro hesitated. "You're all skin and bones. It makes me wonder what kinda stuff you've been putting in your body up till now. Your parents have been feeding you properly, right?"

Right. Yesterday, Akira was shirtless when Sojiro had walked in on him making coffee. He didn't think he was that skinny though, was he? Sure, his rib cage was kind of protruding through his skin and his belly was maybe a bit too hollow and concave but he'd always thought that that was normal. Sojiro didn't seem bothered then but seeing Akira's disposition must have really worried him to be giving him access to the kitchen so soon.

"Um, it was just me and my father actually. My parents are divorced. Because of that, he usually just gave me money to buy food." Akira shuffled on his feet, a bit uncomfortable to be bringing this up to Sojiro. "I know how to cook a little bit but we never really had enough stuff for me to make. That's why sandwiches are a literal godsend for me, haha. You can put anything into two slices of bread and it'll pack so much flavour. It's insane."

Despite how casual he was being and the added little joke he made to not sound so depressing, Sojiro didn't laugh. Or even got angry. If anything, he looked like he pitied him. It was probably the first time he had ever seen the man look like that towards him. Ever since he was dumped onto Sojiro's care, not once did the man ever show any sliver of pity towards him. It was all frustration, annoyance, and if he was allowed to call it as such, tough love.

But surprisingly, Akira didn't really feel too bad about it. He felt confused even as to why he was being pitied in the first place. After all, no one had ever even shown him as such. 

Besides, it's always been like that. Spare change on the table and school bought sandwiches was the norm for him. Sometimes, on days where his father didn't come home from work, he'd go a day without a scrap to eat and went to bed feeling hungry. Then, he'd go to school the next day feeling lethargic, hoping he would be able to make it for lunch at least. As a result, he learned to never turn away food at any given chance and would finish any helping he received, no matter how bad the meal was or how full he got. 

That was just how his life went, nothing to bat an eye at. Until now, apparently.

Sojiro sighed softly, mostly out of hesitation. Akira knew how awkward he was at delicate subjects like these. "Well, that might've been how things were at your place but I won't let it be like that here. You need to eat more, alright? So, I'm telling you now that you can feel free to use the kitchen. I'll try to keep the fridge stocked with leftovers often so you won't run out of food but again, don't go crazy. If you wake up early enough, I might even be able to make you lunch every now and then. Is that alright with you?"

"Wow, I―I'm grateful Boss. You really don't have to go to the trouble though, I know you already got a lot to do with opening the cafe and other stuff…"

"It's fine. I can't do it every time but it'll help you save some time and money making it yourself." He scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. "Besides, seems like you know how to clean up after yourself after almost choking on my curry a few days ago. Just keep that up around here and you won't hear me nag about it often."

Akira, unsure of how to contain his excitement, bowed down deeply. "Yes, thank you so much!"

"Yeah, yeah," Sojiro said dismissively. He turned away, heading towards the door, probably to hide how flustered or happy he was, he couldn’t tell. Either way, it made Akira happy. "I'm going out for a smoke. I'll leave you boys to it, then."

When Akira stood back up, he saw Akechi giving him a little smile from his booth. He must've heard everything considering he was only a couple feet away. "Well, I haven't seen Boss that happy in quite a while."

"That's good," Akira said, slipping into the seat across from him.

"It is. I'm glad he's letting you use the kitchen now. Maybe then, you'll be able to replicate Sojiro's curry if he decides to show you how. Or you can make your own version of it."

"You're just saying that because you want free food, don't you?"

Akechi chuckled. "Of course not for free. I'll pay you as much as you want if it means I'll get to be the first one to try."

"Really? Would you pay me a million yen then?"

"Alright, maybe I'll retract that. My limit is 2000 yen max. Any more for curry would be sort of pushing it." Akechi said, in a totally fake, apologetic manner.

Akira laughed. "I'm just kidding. I won't make you pay for my food. I'm not that greedy. But I won't take responsibility if you die from eating it. That's your choice to make if you want to take that risk."

"I'll keep that in mind." He grinned.

The conversation died down, as Akechi proceeded to write something down in his notebook. Akira glanced at Morgana, who was still busy munching on his food. The cat gave him a quick glance, meowed once, before going back to eating.

"About your eating habits," Akechi started. Akira looked up at him. "I was in a similar situation in my childhood. It was just my mother and I barely scraping by. I never managed to learn how to cook as a result. I'm actually very disastrous in a kitchen."

Akira remembered Akechi mentioning it being just him and his mother before, alluding to the fact that Akechi did not come from a stable home either. When he told him about himself in that bathhouse, how his mother would send him away to such places whenever she took in clients from work at home, Akira didn't dare pity him. 

Instead, he sympathized with him. Understood him, even. 

He knew he wasn't just saying it just to make him feel bad for him or even to gain Akira's trust. He didn't even know if he had even intended to say that much about himself then. All he knew was at that moment, Akechi was someone that had been through quite a lot, more than he was letting on on the surface. And Akira realized that perhaps the two weren't all that different after all.

"How disastrous are we talking about?" Akira asked, cautiously.

"Well, I tried frying an egg one time and accidentally set off the fire alarm. By the time I had struggled to turn it off, I tried to salvage the egg only to find it completely charcoaled black." Akechi said, looking a bit sheepish. "I didn't try to eat it. Or couldn't, anyway. It was rock solid. I couldn't tell if I was cooking an egg or a rock of coal."

Akira burst out laughing, struggling to keep himself together. "God, is that even possible?"

"Apparently so." He said, a wide grin on his face.

"Yeah, okay, you need to learn the basics. I can teach you sometime when you're free. Maybe in your kitchen though because clearly I can't trust you with Sojiro's, or anyone else's for that matter. And you know, I don’t wanna lose this miracle of a privilege already. No offense."

"None taken. I'd be happy to be taught by you if you'll have me." Akechi seemed extremely satisfied with that.

Akira was satisfied, too. In fact, he was excited by the prospect of showing the ropes of cooking to Akechi of all people. It was kind of endearing to think that Mr. Perfect had something he was bad at, too. It just helped shed more light on the detective that besides being intelligent and acting, dare he say, pretentious at best, the guy had his faults where it was due. Goro Akechi was just one giant onion packed with layers upon layers upon layers and Akira decided that when the day comes that he’s ready to strip all of those down, he would still make the decision to accept him.

But of course, such a thing, peeling all those layers away, would take time. At least in this life, it felt like a few of his layers were considerably more shaved off than the Akechi in his past life. He wondered what could have happened for that to occur?

"Anyways, cooking aside, mind if we finally get down to business? I don't want to keep you here too long, seeing as you are a busy guy." Akira said.

"Of course. I don't really mind personally but I'll try to wrap up our talk before Sojiro closes the cafe." Akechi slid his notebook towards Akira. "I've been jotting down a couple of notes on how to go about gathering evidence for Kamoshida's abuse. Have a look and let me know what you think."

The notebook mostly contained details of how to best approach key witnesses or victims related to Kamoshida. There was a small list of names that consisted of all the members of the volleyball team that Akechi was planning to interview. On top of that, there was a list of staff member's names, too, that seemed to be in line for questioning as well. Then, as outlined, once he had enough incriminating evidence, he would bring it up to the police, issue a warrant for arrest, and only then, finally proceed with charging and detaining him.

"It's pretty solid, exactly what I was thinking. I'm just wondering though, we don't need to have Principal Kobayakawa's permission to question anybody, right?" Akira asked.

"No, we're free to do that without his permission or even his knowledge. Of course, as you might have guessed, I would like to ask the students about their experiences with Kamoshida. If anything useful comes up, we should ask them then, if they would be willing to have their statements used as evidence." Akechi explained. "Although, as we should be aware of, most of them might be adamant about denying any abuse allegations. If that's the case, they might refuse to give their testimony as well. We can try persuading them as best as we can but I'd like to avoid using any forms of threat, of course, as that is illegal."

"Of course, I don't want to threaten anybody. I'm sure they've had enough of that being under Kamoshida. I think if we can assure them that it'll help convict him, they might feel brave enough to come forth."

"Right, that's exactly it. People are more willing to give their testimonies if they have a strong backup to protect them, such as us and the police, as well as if there's a unanimous opinion from other witnesses about similar treatment given to them." Akechi takes his notebook back to jot a few more things down. "We should remind the students that we are on their side."

"Yeah, okay. That's good. I'll make sure to say that when I ask them tomorrow." Akira nodded. "Are we saving Kamoshida last for questioning then?"

"Yes, that's probably the safest way in order to remove any suspicion of us being onto him. We'll do the students first for questioning, then the teachers, the principal, and Kamoshida for last. After he's arrested though so that he won't be able to refuse his interrogation."

"Oh, about the teachers and principal. Um, what happens if they're aware of Kamoshida's behaviour? Do you think it's still safe to question them even if it means they might tell Kamoshida?"

"Ah, yes. I considered that happening." Akechi frowned. "You can leave the staff to me for questioning then. I'll be making it more official than the students so they'll take the situation more seriously. Plus, they should know me as the famed Detective Prince. I'd say that should suffice for them to be able to cooperate with us."

"Okay, but what if they live under a rock and have never heard of Mr. Goro Akechi, Detective Extraordinaire, and Kitchen Destroyer?" Akira asked, grinning at him.

"That second part was unnecessary. As well as everything else." The detective laughed. 

Akira resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"But if there was anyone like that, I'll just pack up my pride and flash them my badge instead."

"Nice. Make sure to flash them with your charm first, like full blast before the badge then."

"You're really having fun with this, aren't you?" Akechi asked.

"Hey, all I'm saying is, teachers are a sucker for good-looking, polite kids. Unfortunately."

"Biases are quite hard to break." Akechi grimaced at that, jotting something else down on the notebook. "Alright. That should take care of the teachers. I'll handle Principal Kobayakawa as well, of course. I wouldn't want to risk him expelling you for getting involved in this whole affair."

"You know, I wouldn't really mind coming with you, too, for the staff and principal. But thanks for looking out for me."

He's sure Akechi's more than capable of handling that, considering his past, unfortunate circumstances in dealing with bad influential people.

"It's no problem at all. I'd just rather not take the risk. Besides, you can come with me anyway when I do the arrest for Kamoshida if you wish to be dramatic."

"Oh, I'll be dramatic alright. That's my dream, remember?" Akechi rolled his eyes at that. "Hey, I saw that. I'm serious, I'm gonna really lay it on him when that happens. Don't hold me back, okay?"

Akechi giggled. "I won't. Just don't get violent with him. As tempting as that may be, that could damage your criminal record even further, especially since it's intentional this time."

"I know, I know." Akira frowned. "Can I at least grab his shirt when I say stuff to him? He'll be handcuffed, right?"

"I don't think you should be touching the suspect at all, actually. That's dangerous for both you and them, and can still be somewhat considered as assault. Or the start of one."

"Fine, I'll make do with my speech then."

Akira traced the indentations of Akechi's briefcase with his finger. Come to think of it, he'd never really had a closer look at the case before. It was pretty shiny, obviously in good condition. It seemed to be made of metal, with a soft, leather padding to accentuate the inner compartment. A symbol of the letter A with a period after it was plastered in the middle. It seems like an obvious nod to Akechi's initial which begs the question: did he happen to find the case already made with the symbol or did he go through the trouble of having to order it with the customization?

He was actually genuinely curious and was really close to just coming out and blurting the question outright but was interrupted by him closing the notebook shut.

"Alright, I think that's everything so far. I assume you're going to start questioning asap tomorrow, right? I have some other business to attend to so I'm not sure if I can do my part in questioning the staff on time but I'll be sure to let you know before school ends tomorrow. Is that alright with you?"

"Yep, that’s fine. If possible, I kind of want to finish this as soon as we can. I know this usually takes time but I just kind of have a bad premonition about something happening if we don't…" Akira trailed off.

In other words, Shiho might jump again if they don't help her in time.

"Your third eye, again, I'm assuming?" Akechi tilted his head.

"Something like that."

"Don't worry. I try to be as efficient as possible when doing my work. Of course, this case depends on how well we both gain people's trust with their testimonies. The sooner we do that, the sooner Kamoshida will be behind bars." Akechi said, reassuringly.

"Alright. You can count on me then. I promise I won't drag you down."

"I know." He smiled at him, confidently, as if he was absolutely certain of that.

Morgana, who was now done finishing his food, had finally decided to join the table and hopped up onto Akira's lap. He meowed a few times at Akechi.

"Hello to you, too, Morgana. How was your meal? We took our time choosing one that we thought you might like." Akechi cooed, sweetly. He reached out to scratch the nook of his jaw, Morgana purring softly at the gesture.

Akira almost couldn't believe the sight either. The two people―if a cat and a person even count as such―he least expected to show affection for anything, chooses this precise moment to give Akira a minor heart attack. Who even were they anymore and what have they done with the real Akechi and Morgana?

Morgana meowed once more, snapping Akira out of his useless thoughts, before glancing up at him and nuzzling his head on his chest.

"Hey, I think he really liked it! It was worth spending like ten minutes debating on the one with more beef. Morgana likes beef." Akira placed his arms around the cat and squeezed him into a hug, careful not to crush him. "Sushi, too."

Akechi, who had started packing his items into his briefcase, glanced up at Akira, thoughtfully. "Kurusu, you know, I'm actually a bit curious as to why you named the cat Morgana. You already seem to be certain that this cat likes to eat beef and sushi and you're even adamant about talking to it despite its obvious lack of speech and comprehension. Can you explain why you seem to be so familiar with this cat in particular?"

Akira was a bit taken aback by how quickly Akechi had made questioning the cat seem like an interrogation. He didn't seem to sense any malice or ill will behind it, just general curiosity. Even so, he doesn't know how he was going to explain how he just remembered Morgana from his past life or any memories that came with it anyway. Come to think of it, was it even safe to confide with anyone about anything that Akira knows? He'd been dropping hints with his friends earlier about how Morgana used to talk and that he could vaguely understand his sayings. But to be perfectly honest, Akira might've just been losing it.

His memories were perfectly intact but of course, without the Metaverse or Personas, there was no way that he would be able to speak to Morgana again. To everyone else, he just looked like a weird, insane guy for insisting on talking to his cat. And perhaps it was because Morgana was the only one he could express his past memories with without risking anything potentially serious. If he had tried to do the same with anyone else, they would have most likely turned away from him.

Besides, it wasn't like anyone would believe him right? They were already passing it off as just another of his jokes, which to be fair, he chose to set it up in a way that couldn't be taken seriously, and was thus, subsequently taken as such. Of course, they wouldn't believe him. He wasn't even giving them the chance to do so.

Perhaps that's why he held back on having to actually talk about it with them. He thought that was probably what would hurt the most: not being believed or taken seriously when it really mattered. He didn't want to experience that from his friends of all people. It was better to just bite his tongue and have himself joke about the idea of it. Maybe if the time was right, he’d be able to come out and tell his friends when he was ready. But today was not the day, and to be completely honest, he didn’t know when it would be.

But, suppose if he told Akechi about everything, would he believe him? Could he even trust Akechi yet? Here he was, beginning to share intimate knowledge of themselves with each other and he still couldn't decide whether to trust him or not. And nevermind trust, what would Akira do if he decided to doubt his sanity? Would he revoke their partnership just because of that? Without the emergence of his Personas, he was going to have to rely on Akechi to be able to help convict all of their past targets. If he lost the detective's trust, getting any other legal help would be extremely difficult to do, considering the justice system's apparent corruption.

It just seemed like there was nothing else Akira could do but stick with the detective and avoid suspicion from having his memories being found out.

"Okay, I'm busted. There's no special meaning to it. I've always wanted to name a cat Morgana. And I just really like talking to cats. Also, all cats like beef and sushi. I was just making a general assumption. It's all an elaborate plan to trick you into believing I'm actually a cat esper." Akira raised both of Morgana's paws and wiggled them around dramatically. "I got you good, huh?"

To his surprise, Akechi didn't elicit a laugh at all, as he usually would. Instead, his face shifted into something Akira thought was disappointment. He stood up, taking the briefcase in his hand, seemingly deep in thought. "... Hm, yes. Nicely done."

Akira wanted to ask if he had done anything wrong to warrant such a dissatisfied reaction, but was once again held back by his indecisiveness and fear. Curse that wretched combo of human emotions.

Seeing that Akira had nothing else to say, Akechi only sighed. "I'll be taking my leave now, then. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me to discuss this. Feel free to text me if you have any more inquiries, alright?"

"I will. Thanks, Akechi, for today." Akira meant for it to be more than that, for the words he said at the grocery store. He hoped that would convey how much today meant to him.

Akechi seemed to pick up on it, smiling a little, although he knew he was still somewhat disappointed for whatever reason that he wasn't telling him. He reached forward and just when he thought Akechi was going to pat Morgana on the head, his hand landed on Akira's instead, ruffling his hair a bit. "Don't worry about it. Rest easy, alright? You too, Morgana. Take care of him for me in the meantime, will you?"

Morgana meowed back, chirpily.

Akira seemed to have stopped functioning by the time Akechi released his hand and left the cafe. Only then when Sojiro walked in shortly after, did he get Akira to finally snap out of it.

"What in the world happened to you?" Sojiro asked as he flipped the cafe’s sign to Closed.

"That's what I'd like to know, too..." Akira muttered, burrowing his face in his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait guys! school just started for me and i also have work on the side so i've been trying to juggle that amidst all the pandemic stuff. also, very sorry for the long chapter. clearly i don't know how to do proper chapter breaks. i swear i seriously did not mean for it to get this long. but i will try to spread it out more efficiently from now on, i promise.
> 
> stay safe. ^^


	4. In which Akira begins his pursuit of witness testimonies but not without some harsh revelations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger Warnings for this chapter: Minor depictions of physical and sexual abuse.**

Akira reunited with Kasumi the next morning on the commute to school, although it was entirely a one-sided reunion on his part. It was the same exchange the first time around; Kasumi offered her seat to an elderly lady which immediately got taken by a tired salaryman. Akira offered to "wake him up" to which Kasumi politely declined.

The train then suddenly jerked a little, causing everyone to stumble on board. Akira held the old lady by the shoulder in order to steady her. She thanked him gratefully. Kasumi supported her other side, and Akira was astounded by her impressive arm strength before remembering that she was a gymnast.

"Attention passengers, we are experiencing minor delays due to some construction work. The train should be ready to depart again in a couple of minutes. We apologize for the inconvenience," the intercom announced, signing off with the familiar jingle.

A couple of people groaned in frustration, most likely those who needed to be somewhere soon. Akira could understand that struggle.

"Thank you. You two are such angels, helping an old fool like me," the woman giggled, heartily. "Are you two a couple by any chance?"

Kasumi went bright red, looking incredibly flustered. "N-No! We're not like that! I-We actually just met right now."

Akira chuckled. “Sorry to disappoint, Ma’am, but she’s right.”

What was up with him and flustering any girl on a five meter radius to him? Well, given that making Shiho flustered was on purpose to distract Kamoshida, but Kasumi? He's never actually seen the redhead so embarrassed before given her cheery and upbeat nature. Frankly, it was kind of refreshing, if only because it was kind of amusing to him.

"Oh, silly me! My apologies, then. I didn't mean to make it awkward for you two with my tactless ramblings," she said apologetically, but she didn't look quite apologetic at all. Mostly amused. She glanced at the two of them. "You both do seem to get along well though. At least, very in sync in lending a hand. I wish my grandchildren were as sweet as you two."

"If you want, Ma'am, you can have your children adopt me and I'll gladly be your grandson," Akira teased, adjusting his glasses with his free hand.

"Oh my! Eager, aren't we? Thank you, I'm very flattered. Unfortunately, I think my daughter has her hands full taking care of her own kids, while managing work on the side. She's a busy woman, I tell you. She'll probably give me hell for even bringing up one more kid around her."

"Darn, next time then."

That only made the old lady laugh. Kasumi giggled, too, seemingly grateful that the embarrassing comment from earlier was forgotten.

"I hope the train delay isn't making you two late for school. I know how rough it is to commute especially given how unpredictable the trains can be sometimes," the lady said. "Usually they've been on top of it but lately I've noticed there's been a lot of delays these days. I wonder why."

"Not to worry, Ma'am! I think we're very early," Kasumi checked her watch. "In fact, we have half an hour to go before school starts!"

"That's great!" the lady beamed.

For a split second, Akira thought that maybe the delays might've been related to the train accident that was supposed to have occurred a few days earlier. But when he remembered that he had sort of established that Akechi technically should have no Persona's either, given that there's been no sign of them so far, he breathed a sigh of relief. And then he felt guilty for even thinking such a thing in the first place. He supposed he couldn't help himself for expecting the worst. Things were slightly unpredictable nowadays, after all.

Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke through the mini tv display above them. It was a guest showing of Akechi on a prominent talk show, "Good Morning Japan". They seemed to be asking him about his future prospects for his detective career and how he felt working in such an industry. Of course, he looked great as always, his smile more charming than usual.

Speaking of unpredictable, the sight of Akechi made Akira remember the sudden hand patting his head yesterday. His chest suddenly tightened and he resisted the urge to scream in the train.

"Oh, dear. It's Akechi," the lady noticed Akira's gaze, brightening up again. "You know, he's a very hard worker, that one. Working as a detective at such a young age. I didn't even know it was possible to do such a thing. But as long as it makes him happy, then I'll support him."

"I agree, Akechi-senpai works really hard!" Kasumi exclaimed. "You know, I've actually met him once, because my dad works at that tv station. Akechi-senpai's very nice and pretty easy to talk to. I was a little intimidated because I thought celebrities were like on a whole other dimension but he was really nice."

Despite Akira's mini internal crisis, he felt extremely glad that Akechi was getting the recognition he deserved. People actually loved him and genuinely cared for him and his success and wellbeing. Even if Akechi claimed that his facade was mostly superficial, it couldn't have been all that. It seemed like there are some people that will genuinely care about him despite that notion.

"Oh? Are you alright? You don't look too good," Kasumi asked Akira, which made him flinch at being suddenly addressed.

"What? Is there something on my face?" he exclaimed, panicking a little.

The old lady and Kasumi both giggled. "No, no, you just look like you're deep in thought about something. Is it about Akechi-senpai, perhaps?"

Damn, he should really learn how to make it so that he wasn't so easy to read. Curse his mundanely plain and transparent face. "Um, yeah. I was just thinking about that too. About how hard he works and stuff. I'm actually helping him out with his newest case, which I hope helps ease his load a bit."

"What! No way! So, you know him personally?" Kasumi exclaimed, her eyes sparkling in wonder. 

"What's it like working with Akechi? Oh, you have to tell us all about it!" the old lady chimed in.

The two ladies were now eagerly staring at Akira with a twinkle in their eyes. _Is this what it’s like to be popular?_ Akira thought, chuckling a little to himself. Well, given that the subject matter wasn't even about him, he supposed this didn’t really count as a comparison. Either way, he had no plans to get used to it whatsoever. He was perfectly content with being his invisible, aloof self.

"Okay, um, well," he started, unsure of how to go about this. He considered slandering him in a teasing way, of how annoyingly pretentious he was and his habit of seeing him everywhere for some reason. But when he remembered how hard Akechi had worked to maintain his image, he thought better of it. "He's not too different from tv, actually. Charming, nice, and all that. He's also, like, _really_ smart—but that's expected of an honours kid—and well, I guess he's more prettier in person, too."

The two exchanged glances and giggled amongst themselves.

"True, Akechi-senpai is very pretty. I wanted to ask him about his skincare routine but I only get to see him every now and then," Kasumi said. "Oh, I know! Do you think you could ask him for me?"

"What? Me? Uhhh…" It's not like he minded but he didn't really know how to go about asking such a thing, especially to another guy. Nowadays, thanks to the hard work of activists from all over, gender norms were being challenged more and more everyday. Toxic masculinity was now even more frowned upon than it was then, especially with the rise of the ‘genderless’ subculture popping up here. Although, it would be another long way to go before such prejudice would ever fully be abolished. Akira thinks it would be nice to see a day when the world finally decided that it wasn't so strange to see guys do unconventional guy stuff. Like having a skincare routine for one. Or asking another guy if they even had such a thing. "Sure? Yeah, sure, I can totally do that."

"Really? Thanks! That means a lot," she beamed.

"Oh, since we're at it, is it alright if you let that boy know not to push himself too hard?" The old lady added. "I know I'm not his grandmother or anything but I tend to worry a lot. And seeing someone so young already in a position of important work, while still at school, well, I can't help but worry about what he's going through. I'm sure he's had a lot of people tell him he's doing a great job but there's also those who probably expect a lot out of him. With all those kinds of people around him, I think that there has to be at least someone who needs to worry."

Akira regarded her quietly, letting her words sink in. He didn't know if it was just because she was older and therefore wiser, but she was right. It must've been terribly lonely for Akechi who was surrounded by people who either adored him or expected everything of him. It didn't help that he was juggling multiple things at once such as school, work and the occasional tv show guest appearances. This wasn't even counting the side jobs he had to do for Shido in their past life, as well as working with the Phantom Thieves. Now that he realized it, Akechi has always been a very busy guy, someone who no doubt had his plate full constantly, brimming with loads of work. It was a wonder how he even managed to make time for their occasional outings together back then.

If it were Akira, he'd surely be stressed out of his mind. It was already tough doing Palace heists, but there was also the added task of maintaining his grades, training, working between jobs, and then somehow trying to find time to hang out with everybody. Looking back, how was it even possible that he kept up that kind of lifestyle all in the span of one year? At least then, he had his friends worry over him whenever he pushed himself. But what about Akechi?

Was anyone worrying over him when he was in the spotlight? When he was a nobody? Was anyone in his life worried for him at all?

"Yeah… You're right Ma'am. Someone needs to worry about him," Akira finally said. "I'll let him know not to work too hard and that you're looking out for him."

"Not just me, you're looking out for him, too, right? As his friend?" she asked, seriously.

Everyone really seems to insist that they were friends these days that it made Akira feel guilty for even being so indecisive about it. "... Yes, I am. I promise."

"Good," the old lady breaks into a comforting smile. "You two take care of yourselves, too, okay? Don't work too hard or you'll make me worry myself to death. I know you two must have things you must want to do but it'll be no good if you don't look after your wellbeing."

"I won't, Ma'am, I swear. Please take care of yourself, too, okay?" Akira glanced at Kasumi, who had seemingly gone quiet, deep in thought.

All of a sudden, the jingle of the train intercom played, followed by a brief announcement that they'll be able to move again. Everyone in the train breathed a collective sigh of relief, followed by some "Finally's" and "Thank god's". 

When the train finally started moving, it was only a couple of stops before the old lady had to depart. The two of them assisted her safely off the train before bidding them a warm farewell, thanking them both for their help. The rest of the ride to school was silent as Akira thought about the old lady's words and Akechi. Kasumi was seemingly quiet, too, which was a bit uncharacteristic to see from the usually energetic girl. Perhaps she was also weighing something in her mind.

Akira almost would have missed his stop if not for Kasumi gently reminding him to get off the train. Was he that deep in his thoughts?

"Sorry, I was kind of out of it," Akira said, sheepishly. "Thanks for that, I'd be killed if I was gonna be late again today."

Kasumi giggled, although it lacked the usual energy to it. "That's okay. I almost forgot our stop, too, actually."

He laughed. "I just promised that old lady that we'd be okay and already we're like this. She'd be so disappointed."

"Let's do our best not to worry her then," Kasumi said. "Thanks for all your help earlier. I really appreciate you keeping that old lady and I company during the delay. It was fun!"

"No worries, we should do it more often."

"Sounds good," she giggled before she shifted into a more hesitant look. "Also, um, I don't mean to bother you but do you mind if we go to school together? I'm a transfer student actually, so today will be my first day at Shujin. I visited it a few days ago but I haven't got the way there memorized just yet."

Akira nodded. "Sure thing. I'm actually a transfer student, too. Yesterday was my first day. Which I was late for."

"Geez," she shook her head, disapprovingly but she had a smile on her face. "By any chance, are you my senpai?"

"Yep, second year to be exact. But it's fine to drop the 'senpai', you don't need to be so formal around me. I don't mind."

"No, but I insist!" She replied, rather vehemently. "You're older than me, I can't be so casual."

Akira shrugged. "Okay, but just saying, I won't blame you for dropping the formality."

"I know. Thanks, _senpai_ ," Kasumi flashed him a grin.

Akira shook his head at her but left it at that. The two then made their way to school in silence.

The entire time, he couldn't help but feel as if other Shujin students, who were also on their way to school, were staring at them. They whispered amongst themselves, no doubt about how strange it was for the two transfer students to be going to school together. Akira caught some bits of their conversations, most of which consisted of some disturbing amount of disdain for Kasumi. They talked about their bitterness about her being an honour student treated with special treatment and how she seemed to think she was so much better than everyone. It seemed as if even perfect people weren't exempt from nasty rumours. 

Why was this school so eager to point someone out as a scapegoat anyway?

Thankfully, Kasumi seemed to have paid no attention to anyone around her, instead looking straight ahead. She seemed to have gone back deep in thought about something, like earlier.

Akira considered asking her why but once again stopped himself since this was only their first meeting. He had sort of an inkling of what she was concerned about… Perhaps it had something to do with gymnastics? She was pretty concerned about performing better in that to the point of asking him to give her advice despite knowing nothing about the sport. But at least it was a good way to learn how to be more flexible. The impressive backflips he was able to flex in his past life was largely in part due to her, after all.

He adjusted his bag uncomfortably, wondering just why it was quieter than usual. When he realized that his bag was lighter than normal, too, the usual presence of Morgana that kept him company throughout the day wasn't here, Akira felt sad. He was so used to hearing Morgana make comments about various stuff like giving his opinion on what the latest gossip was among the students or giving Akira the answer when the teacher picked on him or even constantly badgering him to go to the Palace when he got worried about the treasure deadline. Morgana was like that little sidekick he never knew he wanted but was grateful for nonetheless.

Today, Akira made the hard decision of leaving Morgana in his room instead of bringing him along. Despite the little feline's protests, which consisted of a lot of frantic meows, he made sure to tell him that it was for the best before heading to school. It was rough but it had to be done. There wasn't any point in bringing Morgana around if he couldn't even understand the little thing. Although, in the first place, he wouldn't have minded bringing him along either way. Perhaps he would try to find some days to discreetly sneak the cat into his bag at school…

The warning bell for the school tolled in the distance, snapping the two out of their thoughts. The students nearby scurried quickly inside the building, while some carefree stragglers continued walking at their own pace.

"Oh, looks like we made it just in time. Do you mind if I run ahead? I have to visit the principal's office before I go to class," Kasumi said.

"Yeah, go ahead. You can find your way there, right?" Akira nodded.

"I'll manage, I don't want you to be late for class," Kasumi bowed again to him. "Thanks again for today, senpai."

"No problem. I'll see you around."

Akira waved her goodbye as he watched her sprint inside the school at a surprisingly fast rate. As expected of a promising gymnast. He considered sprinting as well for class but thought better of it. He had a feeling that if he were to do so, he'd probably have sprained an ankle or two.

If Morgana were here, he'd have most likely nagged him to rush it to class instead. "Get going already, slowpoke! Geez, where's your sense of urgency?" he imagined him barking at him. As annoying as that was, Akira didn't know whether to be relieved or sad that he wasn't here to nag about it. 

Akira only sighed, adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder once more and headed inside the school.

* * *

First order of business was to start cracking down on people's testimonies regarding Kamoshida's abuse. Akira figured he'd get a headstart with questioning any students he could find during lunch later, leaving the members of the volleyball team for afterschool. If he could find Shiho then, he'd resolve himself to take his time getting information out of her the most, delicately so. Hopefully she would be compliant enough to do so.

Once recess began, Akira made haste and decided to speak to the girl who was in the newspaper club. Fortunately, she was exactly where she always was, right outside his classroom, furiously scribbling away on her notepad. Akira knew that she wasn't exactly going to be easy to get info out of but he had a plan anyway. Besides, most journalists would do anything for a good scoop; case in point, Ms. Ohya, the hardworking drunkard. While she certainly wasn't the best role model, she was very honest with her work, so much so that she would go through great lengths just to get to the truth. Especially regarding her pursuit of finding her missing partner, Kayo. Akira thought that he could learn a thing or two from her.

He took a deep breath as he slowly approached the girl. By the time he was right in front of her, she still hadn't seemed to notice his presence at all. It took her about ten seconds, plus a small clearing of the throat from Akira to get her to finally look up at him. When she met his gaze, she flinched in surprise, grasping her notepad to hide her face.

"Um..." she muttered nervously, her eyes shifting back and forth between Akira and her notepad. "Can—Can I help you?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Akira said, sheepishly. He started fiddling with the ends of his bangs. "I was just wondering if I could have a word with you. You see, I need your help with something."

" _You_ need _my_ help?" she raised an eyebrow, her curiosity peaked.

"Yeah, I heard that you were from the newspaper club. I need information about a certain somebody and I can't think of anyone else better than you."

"What? Is it someone here at Shujin? I do know a great deal about almost everyone here but..." she narrowed her eyes at him. "Why should I help you? Especially when..."

Akira could tell the girl was more conflicted than scared of him. He had hoped that everyone's mixed reception of him would help ease her and it seemed to have done a good deal of that, considering she hadn’t even ran away yet. Of course, there was no doubt that she was still wary of him considering that he was a stranger with a criminal record. If that was the case, he had to have something ready in order to gain her trust easily, and luckily, he had just the thing. Or person.

"What if I told you that, by helping me, I can get you the scoop that'll boost your club's reputation by tenfold?" Akira said, a small grin settling on his face.

She perked up at that and leaned a little closer to him, reluctantly. "... I'm listening."

_Good, she bit the bait. Time to reel her in._

He lowered his voice so that it was audible enough only for her to hear. "Alright, the thing is, I'm working with Goro Akechi on his newest case, which is taking place in this school. If you can help me get some info, I can help you get an interview with him, as well some exclusive info on the case once we crack it."

Her eyes widened. "What?! You're working with—"

"I know it's hard to believe but if you want proof, I can call him right now from my phone and have you hear it from himself."

She gave him a onceover before slowly shaking her head. "... No, that's okay. I don't really think you have a reason to lie. I'll take you up on your offer then but just know that if you are bluffing, you'll be my next scoop of a lifetime instead."

"Understood. That's fair enough," he nodded and took out his hand. "So, we have a deal, then?"

"I suppose so," she looked at him for a bit before she took his hand, smiling a bit. "Never thought I'd be shaking hands with the infamous transfer student. But after hearing the rumours and seeing you in person, you don't really seem all that bad. I think."

"Oh no, I'm bad to the bone. A full fledged delinquent in the flesh. I jaywalk often, cut in lines and never hand in my homework on time," he flashed her a toothy grin. "Oh my god, that kind of rhymed. Did you hear me just now? I'm on fire."

To his surprise, she laughed. He'd never seen the timid girl do so before and thus, it was a welcome sight. "Yeah, they were right. You _are_ weird. That's not a bad thing, though, I guess."

He huffed, feeling a bit proud of himself. For some reason, everyone has labelled him as the "weird transfer student" who's questionably strange but overall harmless, so far anyway. Akira thought that it couldn't get any better than that.

"By the way, is it okay if I can get your name?" he asked her. "I need it to make a list of people's testimonies."

Oh geez, what _was_ her name? Akira found that no matter how hard he wracked his brain, he only came up empty. What was he referring to her all this time? Newspaper club member? Timid newspaper girl?

 _Come on, Akira, you can do better than that,_ he scolded himself. _Can't believe you never knew her name all this time. Shame on you._

"It's Misaki. Uehara Misaki. I'm a second year and currently in the newspaper club, although you already knew that somehow," she adjusted her glasses, shifting into a more professional mode. "You're Akira Kurusu, right? I already knew that much, too."

"Sucks to be famous, I guess," he shrugged.

"I think you meant to say infamous," Misaki chuckled a bit before scribbling something down on her notepad. "Anyway, I can't believe someone like you is working with the Goro Akechi. I have heard people saying that he was seen with you when you confessed to Suzui in the gym but I didn't think it would be true. Were you two perhaps investigating at that time?"

"Yes, though I'd appreciate it if you would keep this to yourself for now. We're trying to keep our investigation lowkey at the moment."

She nodded. "Sure thing. If I may ask, who are you two investigating anyway?"

Akira glanced around their surroundings before motioning her close to him. "It's Kamoshida. Akechi is building a case around him regarding his abuse allegations. I need to help him gather witnesses and testimonies to prove that Kamoshida is, in fact, abusing his students."

Misaki's face suddenly turned grave. "Kamoshida, huh? It's about time someone dealt with that scum of a teacher. If it's him you want, I'll give you all the dirt I have on him."

Akira felt taken aback at this new side of the girl. Was she always this callous? Of course, he shared the same thoughts as well but it was surprising to think that this timid girl was now so eager to help with this case.

 _No, perhaps it's not that surprising,_ Akira thought. He knew, of all people, what the man was like. She was here longer than he was and has probably seen countless of his improper deeds but was never able to tell anyone. Until now.

"You know, I am curious though, why _are_ you helping Akechi with his case, anyway? I find it really suspicious that a transfer student with a stained record is so willing to be involved in a teacher's scandals..." Misaki regarded Akira carefully. 

Well, that certainly did look suspicious from another's perspective. Akira really had no reason to look into this case as much as he did, but even so, he couldn't bring himself to just turn his back on it now. Not after everything he knows, or knowing how much he can still do to help. Akira was a persistent bastard and apparently, not even death was going to stop him from taking down bad people again.

"But well, you can answer that after I give you the info. I guess it doesn't matter that much either way as long as Kamoshida's taken care of. I think everyone here has suffered more than enough..." A look of sadness was visible momentarily on her face before she shook her head, shifting into a small smile. "Besides, if you're doing all this, that's got to mean the rumours can't be true after all, right?"

"Well, at least take it with a grain of salt. Or a cupful," Akira said. "Or a bucketful, maybe. Or a truckful—"

"Alright, alright, I get it," Misaki giggled.

The school bell suddenly rang, indicating that recess was almost over. Misaki wrote something down on her notepad before ripping it and handing it to Akira.

"Here, this is my phone number. Let me know when you need me and I'll tell you everything I know," she said. "It was kind of nice meeting you, Kurusu. Strangely enough."

"Likewise," he nodded.

She gave him a brief bow before running off to her classroom. Akira found that it went a lot better than he thought it would. It was a good thing he approached her when he did. Misaki would surely be a valuable asset to their investigation. Anything helps, after all.

Akira pocketed the note and just as he was about to shuffle to his class, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out to find an incoming call from Akechi to which he promptly picked up.

"Hey, what's up?" Akira said.

"Hello, I just thought I'd check in on you while I had the time," Akechi's voice crackled on the other side. "How are things going on your end? Have you started asking any students around yet?"

Akira leaned against the windowsill, watching the students around him scuffle towards their classes. "I managed to secure one girl's testimony so far: Misaki Uehara, the newspaper club girl. I haven't had the chance to ask about Kamoshida yet but she said she'd be willing to talk when I had the time."

He heard the detective hum in approval. "Is that right?"

"Yep. She seemed really eager to give us the dirt on him when I told him we were investigating Kamoshida so I think she won't back out on us, for sure."

"Excellent. I think you're off to a great start, then." He could imagine Akechi smiling on the other line.

"I'm such a great partner, aren't I?" Akira grinned. "Admit it."

Akechi chuckled. "Don't get ahead of yourself, dummy. We're only just getting started, after all."

Akira laughed to himself at that. "I know but still, I was really nervous talking to her, you know? Like what if she refused to hear me out or was scared of me because of my criminal record? I'm surprised she didn't even run away when I approached her."

"I know, but it worked out in the end because she realized that she could trust you, right? I think that's a feat in itself," the detective said, softly.

Again, Akira found himself growing embarrassed upon hearing Akechi buttering him up again. Embarrassed but happy, nonetheless. Somehow, the detective was able to make him feel better in an instant. And that's been happening quite frequently these days. What was up with that?

It made Akira want to shake the detective by the shoulders and demand what was wrong with him. It's not like the Akechi in his past life wasn't accustomed to doing such things. Akira remembered more than a few occasions of the detective complimenting his sharp wit or his unique stance on topics. But now, it felt ever so slightly different. Nowadays, Akira felt as if Akechi was more genuine in his actions and words. It felt open and heartfelt that Akira couldn't help but feel slightly put off by this, more so because it was different than what he was used to.

 _I should try getting to the bottom of that when I have the time,_ Akira thought to himself.

"Okay, that's true but to be fair, maybe she only agreed because I told her I could get her an interview with you," Akira said, slyly.

"And when, exactly, did I agree to that?"

"Come on, you said you'll do anything to get evidence. You'll do it for the case, right?" Akira remarked. "Please?"

For a few seconds, there was no response from him. Akira then heard him sigh, most likely wondering to himself just how he got wrapped up with someone like him for a partner. "That's a given, of course," he finally said. "But please consult with me, from now on, before you start using my name with other people. I'm still plenty busy and I can't guarantee that I'll be able to do whatever people want."

"But not busy enough to keep away from Leblanc, huh?" Akira muttered, a smile settling on his face.

"No… I suppose not," Akechi admitted. "But to be fair, I have a reason to keep visiting more often now."

"What? How often were you already visiting the place?"

"Often enough to be deemed Sojiro's #1 favourite customer." Akira hated how smug he sounded saying that.

"God, that is so not true," he scoffed. "I refuse to believe that is true."

Despite Akira's protests, he found himself smiling amongst himself. He supposed it wasn't that bad of a thing to have Akechi come so often to be friendly with Sojiro. He had to wonder, though, just why he was so attached to the place anyway. Apparently, he'd been coming to the cafe much longer than Akira even first stepped foot here. Was there a reason that compelled Akechi to do such a thing? Akira made a mental note to bring it up to Sojiro when he had the chance.

"Deny it all you want, Boss said it himself."

_Then seriously, what have you done with Sojiro for him to even say such a thing?_

"Nope, still not hearing this," Akira said, shaking his head slightly. He noticed that the hallways were now deserted save for him. "And wow, everyone's gone already. I'm going to class, I'll text you later, okay?"

"Okay. Oh, also, I almost forgot to tell you that I won't be able to have time to drop by today to question the teachers," Akechi said, sighing a bit. "I really wanted to get a headstart on that but certain circumstances have me held up at the station. I'm sorry about that."

"Hey, don't worry about it. It can't be helped if you have other work to do. Focus on that and I'll do my part on getting student witnesses," Akira reassured him. Then, when he remembered the old lady's words from earlier, he added, "Just don't overwork yourself, okay? I met a concerned fan on the train today that really wanted me to pass that on to you. Really kind old lady, kind of wished she was my grandmother."

Akechi laughed, which made Akira's chest tingle despite hearing it through a phone. "Is that so? Well then, I suppose I'll try not to work too hard in order not to worry her, even if that is against my conduct."

"Good." Akira smiled despite himself. "Seriously, don't push yourself. I know I was kind of annoyed about you being at Leblanc but if you need to rest, come anytime, okay? Even if it's too much. I think Boss will worry anyway if you're not there at least once a day, given you're his '#1 customer'."

"Th―" Before Akechi had a chance to reply, Akira hung up promptly, too embarrassed to hear what he had to say for him. 

It's not like he needed to tell him to come. After all, it seemed like the detective was already plenty comfortable spending his free time at the cafe. He supposed it was more important to let him know he was allowed some respite there. Looking past his previous feelings of frustration, it really wasn't all that bad to have him there in the first place. Coping with his new life in Tokyo for the second time had certainly been easier, if not also very confusing, with the detective's presence around.

Akira felt his phone vibrate once more and checked it to find a text from Akechi.

**Sherlockechi: You have balls suddenly hanging up on call with me without even saying goodbye. And for leaving me with that comforting piece of info without letting me say thank you.**

**Sherlockechi: But regardless, I'm really glad to know I have your approval. I think I'll feel all the more welcome when I come by next time.**

_Yeah, it feels better to read that than hear it from himself. I’m running out of things to say,_ Akira chuckled and shook his head at the thought of his nonexistent immunity for annoyingly charming, pretty boys as he ran inside the classroom.

* * *

As soon as the bell had rung for lunch after class ended, Akira wasted no time asking around from person to person about their thoughts on Kamoshida. The majority of them were too fearful to even say much about him, even going so far as to praise the damn man. The few that did manage to have the courage to confess, Akira greatly thanked and promised them that he would soon be brought to justice. All of them were relieved to hear that Akechi and himself were going to do something about it. It didn't even seem to have mattered that Akira was just a transfer student or that he had strange rumours circulating; just the fact that Akechi's name was mentioned brought comfort to their ears. It just goes to show how great the detective's influence was getting and Akira was pretty glad for it.

He was about to move on to asking around the first years when Ryuji popped out of nowhere, declaring that he would help Akira in his investigation.

"I heard everything they told you. I don't care if I get in trouble or whatever but you gotta' let me help," he said, a firm look in his eye. It was the same look he'd always give him when Ryuji was dead set on something. "I waited too long to see that bastard ruin too many people's lives. I'm sick and tired of letting someone like him do whatever the hell he wants to us and I'd never forgive myself if I knew you were going up against him without me knowing."

"Ryuji, I know you want to help but it's already risky with someone like me going around digging up dirt on him," Akira explained. "He's going to be suspicious if people know the both of us were working together to shut him down. I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I already told you, Akira. I don't care if I get in trouble. And remember what I told you yesterday? That I was going to help you whether you liked it or not? Well, this counts so I'll do anything you tell me. I can help you, you just say the word," Ryuji put both of his hands on Akira's shoulders, gripping it in a pleading manner. " _Please,_ man. He's my fight, too. To be honest, I―I didn't even know that he was abusing the volleyball team. Or maybe I knew but just didn't want to notice... If that's the case, I can't rest until I know I've done enough to stop him."

Akira noticed that the blonde was slightly shaking. He was afraid that this would happen, that Ryuji would somehow notice and be roped into taking down Kamoshida once more. It's not like Akira intended to keep it from him or anything but he did think it was better if he was less involved in this as much as possible. That way, there'd be less risk of any potential expulsion or Kamoshida threatening to hurt Ryuji like last time. God knows the poor boy has had enough of that.

But this was bound to come up anyway. After all, Ryuji was a victim of Kamoshida's abuse. Akira would have eventually had to ask the boy about his experience with the man. As much as he didn't want to reopen any old wounds of his, he supposed that this was the only way for him to stand up to his abuser and get some form of closure. Ryuji had always been eager to help with anything, of course he wasn't just about to turn away from this investigation. Akira supposed that this was only inevitable then.

If that was the case, what else was supposed to be inevitable? What would play out differently? It was so hard to tell these days that Akira was growing exhausted from anticipating the unknown. Just when he thought things were going like before, the situation somehow finds a way to turn itself around.

 _It's fine, I can do this,_ he thought. _It doesn't matter if things are different. I can find a way to fix everything again. For everyone._

"Okay, I get it, Ryuji. You can help," Akira said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'll let Akechi know that you're in on this then. But you're going to do everything I say and nothing more, okay? Nothing reckless or the like."

At that, Ryuji's face lit up and he gave Akira a big hug. "Thank you so much, bro! You have no idea how much this means to me."

Akira was taken aback by the gesture but felt strangely comforted by it. He hugged him back, too, patting the boy in the back. "You're exaggerating, dude. I didn't even do anything yet."

"Are you kidding? You and Akechi are taking down this school's worst nightmare," Ryuji moved away from Akira, giving him a smile. "I've always wanted to do something about him but I was too powerless to do anything. That's why I could do nothing but rebel in my own way. But finally, now that you guys are here, I can do more than that. We can finally put up a good fight and give peace of mind to a lot of people."

Peace. It was sad to say that that was what most students here really wanted. Ever since they stepped foot in Shujin, their highschool lives were far from a peaceful one, much less a normal one. Students deserved to have a school life that was fleeting and free from any hardship or abuse. Perhaps he wouldn't even call it so far as deserving; wasn't it a basic right to have such a thing anyway? Don't students have a right to be treated respectfully as to be coached with care and be free from any harassment or assault? Doesn't everyone?

In any case, Kamoshida had failed in that and something had to be done about it.

Akira decided then that perhaps it would help if he did his interview with Ryuji at the same time with Shiho. After all, if she saw someone else she knew opening up about Kamoshida, perhaps she would feel comfortable enough to do the same. He asked Ryuji if he would be comfortable enough to do such a thing to which he gladly agreed to.

And so they set off to find Shiho, who seemed to be getting ready to leave from her seat, and asked her if she could come join them for lunch. At the sight of them, she brightened up and eagerly followed them to the rooftop. Everyone carefully watched the trio, no doubt wondering why such a strange mix of people were together. Neither Ryuji nor Shiho seemed to have noticed except for Akira, who trailed behind them silently, trying not to look so conspicuous but was pretty much proving fruitless. Thankfully, it was a bright, warm day and when Ryuji reassured them that rarely anyone checked the rooftop, they had no qualms sitting out in the open, basking in the sunlight.

They made a makeshift spot on the floor and made themselves comfortable, each setting down their own sets of lunch. Today, Akira had the time to prepare his own food, courtesy of Sojiro allowing him access to the kitchen. Thanks to that, he was able to make himself some leftover curry as well as some crude rice balls. Akira's stomach growled at the sight of his food and hurriedly dug in before Ryuji and Shiho even had the time to open their own lunch yet.

"Bro, what the hell. Slow down a little or you're gonna' choke yourself," Ryuji laughed.

"I guess you must've been really hungry. I get that," Shiho giggled. "Sometimes I have to resist the urge to just start eating in class."

"Yo, same? I don't really have the time to eat anything for breakfast so like, I'm usually counting down the time for lunch," Ryuji said, as he started unwrapping his sandwich. "But then, sometimes, I get too impatient and start chowing down in the middle of the lesson. I try to do it secretly but most of the time some stupid snitch tells the teacher and I get in trouble. Like thanks."

"Well, then―" Akira swallows a bite. "That's your fault because you should've ate it more discreetly. Have you tried eating behind a textbook?"

"Dude, what the hell do you think I've been doing? Of course I use a book as cover but the dude behind me tells on me all the time. I swear to god I think he's just like jealous that he didn't think of it first."

"What an asshole," Akira agreed, taking another bite of his riceball. He turned to Shiho, still munching. "Hon't be wike Hyuhi and shart eading in class, okay? Hwait undil wunchtime."

"Hey, speak for yourself. You're the one eating like a horse and speaking with your mouth full," Ryuji said, looking at Akira with disgust. "Look, you're scaring her, getting rice spit everywhere."

"Whoops, sorry." Akira grabbed the rice bits he spat out and popped it back into his mouth.

"That's just gross, man,” the blonde shook his head in disapproval.

"What? I don't want to waste anything. That grain of rice probably cost me like half a yen."

"Yeah, okay, true, but someone has to say it. I know I would do the exact same thing but I'm only gonna' say it because I know Shiho is too nice to tell you."

Shiho only laughed, unable to stop herself until Akira and Ryuji tried to calm her down. By the time she did, she was wiping tears out of her eyes. "Sorry about that. You guys are just so weird."

"That's okay. You should really start eating though before we say something dumb again," Akira said, encouragingly. "Do you want one of my rice balls, by the way? I made them this morning and it's not bad. It's plain though, if that's okay."

"Sure! Thank you," Shiho took one of the rice balls Akira offered her and popped it into her mouth. "It's really good! I haven't had these in a while."

"Can I have one?" Ryuji took a rice ball from Akira's container without waiting for a reply and chucked it into his mouth whole. "Eh, hould he hetter."

"Ew, you got rice spit on me," Akira moved away from Ryuji, placing himself in front of Shiho. "Don't worry, Shiho. I'll protect you so that you can eat safely without having to look at him."

Shiho started laughing again. She calmed down quickly this time and only shook her head, a smile on her face.

"Hey Shiho, I never noticed but you sure laugh a lot, huh?" Ryuji said, chewing on his sandwich. "I know we never really talked much before but like, I don't know, it's nice that we're like this now, ya' know? Although it's probably thanks to this guy that we're even all together right now."

“That’s not true, I think you’re giving me too much credit,” Akira shook his head, shifting back so that he was no longer blocking Shiho.

She looked at the both of them quietly before looking down at her lunchbox. "It is nice having lunch with you guys. I've always had lunch with either Ann or by myself if she was too busy with other stuff. That was usually enough for me but today, I'm really glad you guys invited me. Thank you."

"Hey, no need to thank us. We're all friends here, right?" Ryuji beamed.

"Yeah, from now on, if you find yourself alone at lunch, come find us, okay?" Akira agreed. "We can all just meet up here to eat lunch. Ann can come join us, too, if she wants."

"Ugh, does she really have to come?" the blonde groaned.

Akira shot him a look.

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Of course she can join us. It's just annoying when she starts nagging at me, though," Ryuji muttered.

"Well, that's a you problem. We're just gonna' eat without you if it bothers you so much," Akira shrugged.

"Hey! That's mean, I thought you said we were all friends."

The trio had their share of giggles again, before it died down. All of them took a bite out of their lunches at the same time. Ryuji glanced at Akira to which he nodded slightly. 

Looks like it was time to start the interview.

Akira set aside his chopsticks by his lunchbox and cleared his throat. "Okay, so, um, Shiho. I don't want to scare you by, like, being upfront but I just wanted to let you know that Ryuji and I are working together with Akechi on his investigation.” He paused again, a bit hesitant. “To convict Kamoshida of abuse."

At that, she stiffened up and stopped eating.

Akira continued in a more gentle tone. "While it's true that we're all friends here, I'm also in the midst of collecting testimonies of people's experiences interacting with Kamoshida. I wanted to ask you both what kind of teacher he was like to you guys, and with your permissions, use it as evidence in a court of trial."

Shiho still said nothing, looking down at her lunchbox, averting her gaze from both Ryuji and Akira. They exchanged glances, nervously.

Ryuji spoke up. "Um, I know you probably don't want to talk about it, and you don't have to if it's too painful. But I want to see that bastard get what's coming to him and I'll do anything I can for that to happen. I've been through a lot, too, and I don't mind talking about it all if it means Kamoshida will pay for his crimes. I just…" he trailed off, a pained expression on his face. "I just really want him to stop hurting anymore people."

Shiho finally looked up from her lunchbox and right at Ryuji. Her eyes looked glassy, as if she was ready to burst into tears at any moment. Instead, she nodded silently.

Ryuji glanced again at Akira, who nodded for him to continue. He took a deep breath and exhaled before starting. "Well, um. I've never really told anyone this but I think pretty much the whole school knows about what happened between me and Kamoshida. In my first year of Shujin, I was in the track team. Before the volleyball team, the track team was the only thing this school got going. And so, everything was fine until Kamoshida showed up and got our old coach fired and took over as a sub. Then…"

His face suddenly got darker and he began to bounce his left leg, seemingly fuming on the spot. "That's when shit started to happen. He always gave us a hard time, cussin' us out if we were ever behind time or punishing us by increasing our laps. Especially me. He knew I wasn't just going to take it so the bastard gave me hell for it, every single day. I endured it as much as I could though, even if I fucking hated it because track was everything to me. It was like… the only thing I had going, too, in a way."

He balled up his fists on his lap, looking away from Akira and Shiho to stare at the ground. "So it went on like that but it just kept getting worse and worse. It was then that I realized that he had no intention to actually coach us, it was like―like we were some kind of slaves to him or something. He didn't want to see us get better, he wanted us to fail. But at that point, we were all too exhausted to do much of anything. And then… he started bringing up my parents."

Ryuji looked up at Akira, his face pained. "The thing is, I only ever had my mom. Before my father left us, he was nothing but a real piece of shit that was only ever good for drinking himself drunk and beating me or my mom. I don't know how the hell Kamoshida even knew that but he started telling the entire team. Of course, I lost it at that and hit him but it was like he was waiting for it. He didn't even fucking hesitate to break my leg in ‘self defence’. And well, as it turns out, all of that shit was enough to completely shut the team down."

Akira glanced at Shiho who had started to tear up. Her eyes brushed over Ryuji's legs, her hand covering her mouth to cover up her tears. Ryuji noticed her staring and looked at her, his expression turning more somber. "Ever since that day, all of my former teammates have labelled me as a ‘track traitor’. I mean, I didn't blame them. I ruined their one shot at the championships. I can't even run properly anymore without wincing in pain every few seconds. That merciless bastard took everything from me and I know for a fact that he's probably proud of himself for that."

Ryuji paused for a bit before he spoke up again, albeit more quietly. "I know that he did all that just to bring the volleyball team into the spotlight but... I thought that he at least treated you guys better because he was good at it. Until today, I never knew that you guys were getting the same shit for it as I did. But looking at you, Shiho, I can tell that it shouldn't even have been that hard to tell. I mean, you look just as banged up as I did when I was in track. No way normal practice would result in bruises like that. Fuck, man."

Shiho kept crying silently, averting her gaze towards the floor instead. She began wiping her eyes with her hand. Akira took out an extra napkin from his lunchbox and offered it to her. She took it gratefully before blowing her nose into it.

They were quiet for a good while before Ryuji spoke up again. "That's why I want to help you, Akira. If you need me to say my piece in court or whatever, I'll say it as many times as you want. I don't want Kamoshida hurting anymore people until it's too late. I don't want you to become like me, Shiho."

And with that, it was as if something had snapped inside of Shiho that caused her to start sobbing hysterically on the spot. She buried her face in her hands and wept, no longer concerned with keeping it discreet. Out of concern, Akira and Ryuji moved closer to her in order to help calm her down. Akira gave her more of his napkins while Ryuji rubbed her back in a comforting manner.

"It's okay. I get it. Let it out," the blonde murmured, in a soothing voice.

After a good while, she began to calm down, hiccuping every so often. Her head was down as she was still quietly sobbing in her hands. Ryuji and Akira exchanged concerned looks but otherwise continued to comfort her, unsure of what else to do.

When she had gone completely quiet, Ryuji tried to get her to eat. "I'm sorry. I know that was a lot to take in. Do you want to eat your lunch, maybe? It might help."

"Yeah, you should eat something. Here, you can have all my rice balls," Akira proceeded to carefully place his rice balls in her lunchbox. "I know I said they're plain but they were made with love. Maybe it'll help you feel better?"

"Dude, you're really giving her that shit?" Ryuji whisper-yelled at Akira. "It's not even that filling."

"It's all I have! I'm trying to help her feel better, okay? Rice balls always cheer me up," Akira whisper-yelled back.

"Yeah, but we're not trying to cheer you up! Not everyone wants rice balls as comfort food!"

Out of nowhere, Akira's stomach proceeded to gurgle, loudly. In fact, it was so loud that Shiho and Ryuji both turned, at the same time, to look at him.

"Bro, what the hell was that? Looks like your stomach needs the rice balls more than Shiho does cuz' damn," Ryuji exclaimed, clearly impressed. "That was like a tiny roar or something. You keepin' a dragon in there or what?"

Akira wrapped his arms around his stomach. "Guess they were getting impatient. Sorry, Shiho, can I take just one of the rice balls back? I need to calm my dragon―I mean stomach, down."

"What the hell man! Just take it all back already! She doesn't need them!" Ryuji yelled at him. Shiho began to shake in her spot, alerting both Ryuji and Akira. "Look, you made her cry again! Great job, genius!"

Suddenly, Shiho began to burst out laughing. She threw her head back, a gleeful look on her face. Akira quickly took the lunchbox off her lap and placed it on the floor in front of her to keep it from falling. Ryuji just looked bewildered, staring at her, and then at Akira all wide-eyed. Akira only blinked back at him shrugging a bit, before a small smile tugged on his face.

Shortly after, they found that her laugh was so contagious that they, too, started laughing along with her. Soon, they were all a laughing mess, rolling on the floor, holding onto their stomachs. They laughed so hard that there were tears in their eyes and were all simultaneously gasping for air, smacking the floor in their fit. They kept at it until eventually, they had finally calmed down to collect themselves, coughing and wiping their tears away.

"God," Shiho giggled, her voice a bit hoarse, "you guys really are _so_ weird."

* * *

After their strange outburst at the rooftop, the trio began to talk about other stuff, if only to get their minds off of the tense conversation from earlier. Soon after, they started packing up their lunches in silence. Shiho seemed deep in thought which Akira and Ryuji let her be, both feeling a bit guilty for making her cry. When she spoke up, Shiho agreed to talk about her experience with Kamoshida but stated that she didn't want to do it at school. Akira suggested doing the interview at Leblanc instead to which she gladly agreed. Ryuji then asked her if she was comfortable with having him come along with them. She hesitated for a bit, before eventually nodding her head.

"Oh—Sorry, um, it's not like I don't trust you, Ryuji. Of course I do! Especially when you opened up to us about what happened to you. I can't imagine how hard that must've been," Shiho said, sympathetically. "It's just… The stuff I've been through… It's... It's really hard to talk about… I'm getting anxious even just thinking about it."

"Hey, if that's the case, don't force yourself. You don't have to do it today, okay?" Ryuji reassured her.

“Yeah, we can do it tomorrow if you need time to get ready. I don't want you to push yourself too much," Akira added.

Shiho looked thoughtful for a bit before shaking her head. "Thanks, you two. But I have practice tomorrow. Today might be the only time I'll be able to tell you guys about it since I’m free afterschool. And while I still have the will to talk, anyway…"

The lunch bell rang suddenly, making the trio flinch in unison. Ryuji's had the most exaggerated reaction, almost falling over himself on the spot. Akira and Shiho laughed at the sight of him so startled.

"Hey, don't laugh, it was really loud and unexpected okay? I almost felt my heart pop out," he frowned at them.

At that, Shiho thanked them again for inviting her for lunch before the three of them promised to meet outside the main entrance afterschool. Then, they headed for their respective classes, albeit a bit reluctantly.

When Akira sat down on his seat, Ann came in shortly after, looking a bit panicked. She sat down rather hurriedly, with a clatter, avoiding eye contact with Akira. He was about to ask her what was wrong before Kawakami entered the class, telling everyone to settle down.

He then noticed that Ann was visibly shaking in her seat, her shoulders hunched over and her arms hugging herself. Akira wasn't so stupid to think that she was cold but instead, terrified of something. Worried, he secretly took out his phone under his desk and sent her a message.

**Akira: hey Ann, are u okay? i noticed u looked kind of shaken up**

Ann shifted momentarily, taking out her phone from her hoodie's pocket and read his message. She moved her head to the side a bit, as if to turn around to face Akira but stopped halfway and turned her attention back to the class. Akira thought that she might've not been in the mood to talk about it but a few seconds later, there was a reply.

**Ann: yeah, i'm fine. thanks, akira.**

He wanted to just leave it at that and take her word for it but something told him not to just brush off such a blatant lie. If he was going to be nosy, it was because he cared about his friends and wanted to help them. Although, he remembered that he should be a bit more formal about it since he was still a stranger somewhat.

**Akira: are u sure? i get it if u don't want to talk about it but i'm worried. ur not hurt, are u?**

Akira watched her read the text before seeing her type again.

**Ann: no… i'm not hurt.**

**Ann: but i'm scared.**

His heart sank. He frantically typed up his response.

**Akira: why are u scared Ann? did something happen to u at lunch?**

Then, remembering about not wanting to be overbearing, he quickly sent another text.

**Akira: listen, u dont have to tell me if ur not comfortable with it. but just know that we're friends and u can feel free to trust me. i promise.**

**Akira: if u cant tell me, do u want to talk to shiho instead? i know u guys are close. it might help u feel better**

Kawakami then ordered everyone to take out their notebooks for the lesson. Akira placed his phone between his thighs before frantically grabbing his book out of his bag. He placed it on top of his desk, flipping open to a random empty page and watched Ann do the same. With no indication of her texting, Akira left it at that and tried to pay attention to class.

Well, he did his best. If Ann didn't feel comfortable sharing something with him, he could understand that. After all, they weren't as close as they were before and she only had Shiho's account of him to go on from. He gets it.

Still, it didn't stop him from feeling lonely. After all, Akira loved his friends. He would do anything to help them out. It hurt him to see Ann struggling in front of him and there was nothing Akira could do about it. All because of the lack of emotional closeness they shared in his previous life. Without those memories, he was a nobody. Akira was once again reminded of his miserable circumstances and how powerless he was in this timeline.

Sure, he was getting things on track with Shiho and Ryuji but he wanted to help Ann, too. Unfortunately, there was only so much he could do and it still didn't feel like it was enough. Akira didn't feel like he was enough.

 _Am I doing everything right?_ he doubted himself. _What should I do? Should I just leave her be? But it hurts to do that. Am I doing anything right? Can someone just tell me, please…_

But before Akira could spiral any further, he felt his phone vibrate between his thighs. He turned it on to find a text from Ann again.

**Ann: i can't say this to her**

**Ann: i'd feel too ashamed of myself**

**Akira: why is that?**

**Ann: at lunchtime, Kamoshida asked to see me.**

Akira felt himself stiffen up.

**Akira: did that bastard do anything to u?**

**Ann: no… he only wanted to talk to me. but the things he said, it made me so uncomfortable**

**Ann: i didn't want to go but i was afraid what would have happened if i didn't**

**Ann: i don't want to feel this way anymore, i feel so helpless…**

Akira contemplated a bit on what to say before typing his next response again.

**Akira: hey, look Ann. there's an ongoing investigation on Kamoshida right now and it's my job to help Akechi gather evidence against him.**

**Akira: if u are comfortable with it, i'd like to ask u about him and with ur testimony, help us put him behind bars.**

**Akira: i promise that no matter what, Akechi and i will protect u and everyone else at this school so that no one will suffer anymore.**

He saw her jolt in surprise before looking around her surroundings and then quickly turning her attention back to her phone.

**Ann: … you're kidding right?**

**Akira: no i'm not. if u need proof, i can arrange for u to meet Goro Akechi and have u hear the same thing from himself.**

**Akira: this case was assigned to him and i offered to help him out. we intend to bring everyone justice, for everyone's sake.**

There was a few more seconds of silence before she replied again.

**Ann: omygod, Akira. thank you**

**Ann: i don't know what to say.**

**Ann: i'm just**

**Ann: of course i'll help u guys! anything to stop him from taking advantage of anymore people.. including me..**

**Ann: i just can't believe this is really happening. like are u real? are u sure ur not my guardian angel or something?**

Akira had to suppress a laugh.

**Akira: yes, i'm very real. but i think i can be ur guardian angel if u want me to be ☺️**

**Akira: but i think i’d be pretty useless as one though so maybe u might want to reconsider that**

Ann suddenly snorted in laughter earning her a look from Kawakami. Then, she quickly cupped her hand to her mouth, embarrassed.

"Everything alright there, Takamaki?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, Ma'am. I didn't mean to interrupt, I'm sorry," Ann quickly said, hiding her phone deeper under her desk.

"Hm." Thankfully, Kawakami left it at that and continued with the lesson. Perhaps it was because she looked more tired than usual and simply didn't have the energy to argue. Everyone else in the classroom seemed to have not minded as much and turned their attention back to class.

Akira breathed a sigh of relief before mentally beating himself up with a broom for making her laugh. Granted that it hopefully made her feel better, it still could've gotten her into trouble. He really didn't know when to hold back, did he?

A short while later, Ann passed a folded piece of paper behind her onto Akira's desk.

It read: 

_Thanks for making me feel better Akira. I'll gladly help you guys with your investigation._

_P.S. Shiho was right, you really are a great guy, you know that? - Ann_

Akira doesn't think that's very true but he felt really happy, regardless. He supposed not holding back every so often wasn’t so bad after all, if it meant making people feel better like this.

* * *

Ryuji and Shiho were waiting for Akira at the front of the gates of the school, as they had promised to earlier. From the distance, he could see Shiho was laughing about something while Ryuji had a smug grin on his face, no doubt having said something probably dumb. The sight of them interacting made Akira unconsciously smile. After all, the two never really had a chance to talk properly in his other life. Ryuji and him were both too caught up trying to find evidence against the man that Shiho's deteriorating mental state completely slipped past his radar. Seeing them together now, he just couldn't help but feel even more determined to save Shiho.

Akira glanced at Ann trailing beside him. She wouldn't be available to give her account of Kamoshida today due to a modelling shoot but when Akira brought up hanging out with Shiho and Ryuji, she insisted on taking the train with them before she left for work. Ann seemed like she was contemplating skipping her shoot to join them but Akira told her they would have plenty of chances to do just that. And so, she took his word for it and agreed not to skip. 

When she saw Shiho and Ryuji, she looked surprised to see the two before her face shifted into one of genuine fondness. Ann was probably just as glad as he was to see the two getting along, let alone seeing Shiho get along with anyone. As far as he recalled, Shiho seemed to have only Ann as a close friend and nobody else. He wondered if Ann was glad to see her world expand past the two of them.

"You know, I haven't seen Shiho laugh in quite a while," Ann said. "Ever since she joined the volleyball team, she always seemed so worn out. I felt so bad that I couldn't do more for her to make her feel any better," she looked at the two, her expression indecipherable. "but somehow, it looks like you two managed to pull it off so easily. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't envious."

"That's..." Akira trailed off, trying to find the right words.

He never quite managed to say what he wanted before they had already reached the two.

"Hey dudes! I was just telling Shiho here about my genius plan to make Morgana a famous catfluencer," Ryuji said with a shit-eating grin.

"You still haven't given up on that?" Ann frowned, shaking her head at him.

"Why would I? There's something up about that cat and I plan to expose every single bit of it. You're gonna let me, right, Akira?" he turned to him, nudging him with his elbow.

"Once again, you're not gonna profit off of Morgana," he shook his head. "He's gonna hate you for it."

"But you'd get half the profit! You can even get more of it since it's your cat! Come on, bro," he was grabbing onto his shoulders and shaking him now. "Pleaseeeeee?"

Akira was starting to get dizzy from Ryuji shaking him until Ann pulled him away from his grasp.

"Stop being so desperate, otherwise we're not gonna be friends with you anymore," she took both Shiho's and Akira's hands and pulled them along with her. "Let's go guys."

"Hey, wait! I was just kidding! Don't leave me guys!" Ryuji wailed, running after them.

Shiho started laughing again and suddenly, Ann's expression softened. Akira slowly released his hand from her's, falling back beside Ryuji.

"She's just kidding. We won't drop you like that," he reassured him, patting a hand on his back. "Sorry for making you run like that."

"What? Oh, psh, don't worry. A little bit of running won't hurt someone like me. Besides, I've been trying to get back into it anyway," Ryuji said, slowing down to match Akira's step. Despite that, he looked like he was having a bit of a hard time walking, although he tried not to show it as much. "To be honest, I'm more worried about losing you guys. It's been so long since I've hung out with people who weren't scared of me or something."

All of a sudden, Akira felt bad for joking about leaving him. He must've had it rough, too, after his entire track team turned on him, as well as the school. It didn't seem like anyone wanted to be with him after that. It was the same with Akira, then. About not having any friends.

"Then, we're for sure not going to leave you, Ryuji," Akira said, holding a fist out for him. "We're bros from now on, right? I got your back no matter what, I promise."

Ryuji looked at him for a bit and then looked at the fist in front of him. He wiped a hand over his eye quickly before fistbumping Akira back. "Yeah, thanks bro. Same here, of course."

"Are you crying?" Akira asked, peering closer at Ryuji.

"N-No I'm not! Of course not! Something just got into my eye, that's all! Dirt or something," he was flustered now, pushing Akira's face away from him.

Akira laughed. Soon after, Ryuji laughed as well. It felt really good to reassure his friends, that was for sure. He would say it a thousand times if it meant that it would make them happy.

"Speaking of which, thanks for earlier. At the rooftop with Shiho," Akira said quietly. "It must've been tough going through so much by yourself but I'm really glad you were able to tell us. It's not easy talking about something like that."

Ryuji shook his head. "Nah, don't worry about it. I'm just glad I can help in some way. Still, I really didn't expect Shiho to cry so much then."

"Me neither." Then, he added, "She's a really kind person. Whatever she is she's going through, I want to help her."

"Same here, of course."

The both of them nodded at each other, their expressions determined before turning their attention to Shiho in front of them. Akira noticed that Shiho and Ann were still holding hands, talking to one another.

"Do you have a shoot today, Ann?" Shiho asked.

"Yeah… I can stay with you guys for a few stops though," Ann said. "I really wanted to join you guys but I can't afford to skip."

"That's okay, I know how much modelling means to you," she said, fondly. "Besides, we'll always be here."

"Thanks! That's really comforting..."

They all continued like that together towards the station. The four of them talked about mundane topics, like their classes or the assignments they had to do. It felt strange to talk about such things amongst Akira's busy schedule but he didn't mind it at all. It was a welcome distraction from his otherwise hectic priorities.

Eventually, Ann had to leave first as her stop approached. They all bid her goodbye as she reluctantly stepped off the train.

"Have fun guys, okay?" Ann called out.

"We will!" Shiho said, nodding her head. "Good luck in your shoot! I'm cheering for you!"

"Same here!" Akira added.

"And me too!" Ryuji grinned.

When the train finally closed the doors, they were all waving at her enthusiastically out the window, as if it was the last time they would ever see her again. She waved at them back, a big smile on her face. Shiho looked at her longingly, even as Ann spun out of view. Her gaze lingered out the window, a small smile plastered on her face.

Akira and Ryuji exchanged curious glances.

"You and Ann are real close, huh?" Ryuji said, thoughtfully.

Shiho snapped out of her thoughts, looking at the two of them, a bit flustered. "Y-Yeah! I'm lucky to have her, that's for sure. I feel like if she wasn't here, I'd be pretty useless."

"That can't be true. I think she's more lucky to have you," the blonde shook his head.

She laughed nervously, unsure of how to respond. "Maybe..."

Akira caught on to her uncertainty and added, comfortingly, "I think if I asked her, she'd probably say the same thing. Ann thinks the world of you. Like she really trusts you."

Shiho looked at him, disbelievingly, before averting her gaze, a fond look on her face. "I'm happy if that's the case."

"It is. I think if you never told her about me, she probably wouldn't have been as friendly. Which, like, I totally understand," Akira said. "But I mean, it's because you're a good person, Shiho. And Ann trusts your judgement more than anything. If you never told her about me, I wouldn't even be here talking to you guys."

_Instead, I'd probably be sitting by the window in class, listening to all the nasty rumours about me. Wondering how to get any of you guys to talk to me again._

"That's—I don't think that's true. I think you should give yourself more credit, Akira," Shiho said, shaking her head at him. "From the brief time I've gotten to know you, I can tell that you're very earnest, friendly and patient. If I'm being honest, you've been the friendliest person I've met in this school since I've met Ann. And that's not just because you confessed to me. It's because of your good traits that we got naturally drawn to you."

"Yeah! I agree with Shiho," Ryuji exclaimed. "When I met you, I thought you were just a really chill dude. Then, when I found out about the stuff you were going through, well, I was confused as to how you were still able to keep it together. But I know now that it's taking everything you have to do just that. And I think you're really strong for it, especially when you're also trying to help with taking down Kamoshida."

Akira, quite frankly, was speechless. He didn't know what to say. He hadn't expected anything like this anytime soon. It wasn't like he was particularly wanting to hear it. And yet, when he looked at the two and saw nothing but genuine understanding and care for him, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.

He felt himself look away in embarrassment, fiddling with his bangs restlessly. "Well. That's―That's saying too much, right? It's... I mean, I'm not that great of a guy, you know? I'm really not."

Ryuji and Shiho exchanged glances. The two were quiet and for a moment, Akira was afraid that they agreed with what he said. Even if he thought it was true, a part of him was afraid that they would reject this side of him anyway. 

Then, Ryuji let out a sigh and softly placed a hand on Akira's head, patting it. "Geez, you need to have more confidence in yourself, bro. Really. Not everyone's perfect, you know? I'm totally far from it but that's not gonna stop me from hanging out with you or anything."

Shiho nodded, offering him a comforting smile. "I'm not a great person either, but we all try our best, right? And that's something I have to try to remember often. You're doing all that you can, Akira. I can see that. So, please don't be so hard on yourself."

At that moment, Akira felt his heart squeeze, as if the both of them decided to give it a warm hug. He wasn't always good at receiving compliments or responding to heartfelt stuff. Besides, it wasn't like he received such a thing often. This was quite a first for him, at least, in this life. Sure, he could remember what his other friends have said to him in his past memories but he couldn't help but feel disconnected to it, as if it didn't really belong to him. There was the conversation he had with Akechi yesterday as well, which he certainly didn't see coming. Neither did this as well.

But it was a welcome thing more than anything. Akira was immensely happy, and he couldn't help but feel himself warm up at the thought of Ryuji and Shiho's words about him. They were too good for him, honestly. Akira thought that he didn't deserve either of them.

"Aw, you're turning red, bro," Ryuji commented, opting to ruffle his hair instead of patting it. "You're totally embarrassed."

"Shut up, I'm not," Akira exclaimed, feeling himself growing warmer from being exposed. "And stop treating me like a dog! You're messing up my hair."

"Dude, it's already messed up. Might as well let me do this," he grinned. "Besides, your hair is kinda soft, surprisingly. Like a dog's fur, you know? What shampoo do you even use? Look, feel it, Shiho."

Shiho giggled, reaching out her hand out before stopping inches before Akira's head. "May I, Akira?"

For some reason, Akira nodded, silently. He supposed a part of him couldn't resist people patting his head. It just felt really nice and rewarding. Perhaps Ryuji was right, maybe some part of him really was a dog.

Suddenly, he felt two hands softly patting his hair. The gesture reminded him once again of yesterday's time with Akechi which promptly made him stiffen up in response.

 _Ahh, I think I'm seriously going insane. It didn't mean anything! Stop thinking about it, damnit,_ he thought, shaking his head. _Yeah, like Ryuji said, it's just like petting a dog! I'm a dog, that's all it was._

"Akira? Hellooo? Are you good?" Ryuji was now waving his hand over his face.

"Huh? What?" Akira flinched back, snapping out of his thoughts.

"You were shaking your head, mumbling something about a dog so we got worried…" Shiho said, giving him a concerned look. "Were you bothered about us patting you?"

"What? No! No, of course not. I'm totally fine with you guys doing that. Pat away by all means. It's just―" Akira stopped midthought. _It's just Akechi that made me freeze up._

He didn't seem to have frozen up when Shiho or Ryuji patted his head earlier. It was only with Akechi. Even now, he could only remember the warmth of his hand gently tousling his hair, the feeling of which he could easily recall whether he wanted to or not. He would have liked to say he froze up due to fear but that was far from the case. Whatever it was, he wanted to stop thinking about it because he thought it was silly how much of a big deal it was to him. To be cared about by him and to see him so willing to do something as casual as _that_ , just the very combination of those two was enough to make him feel chest pain.

Akira placed a hand to his chest, as if it would help ease the feeling any better. But of course, it didn't. _Oh my god, this is heartburn. Definitely heartburn._

When their stop shortly arrived, he ran out the doors of the train eagerly, laughing nervously. "Come on guys! Leblanc is this way! Morgana is waiting for us! And Boss!"

Ryuji and Shiho only exchanged concerned glances before smiling amongst themselves, trailing after the flustered Akira.

* * *

When they arrived at Leblanc, Sojiro was behind the counter, watching the news. He looked up at the sound of the bell chiming, seemingly surprised when he saw Akira and his company.

"Hey Boss. Hopefully you don't mind that I brought friends over," Akira said, sheepishly. "We'll be upstairs, of course, but I promise we won't be loud."

Sojiro just looked speechless, staring at Ryuji and Shiho as if he had just seen a ghost or the like. "Your friends...?"

"Hey, I'm Ryuji Sakamoto! Nice to meet you," Ryuji beamed, bowing slightly at the man. "Thanks for taking care of Akira. I'm really glad you decided to take him in despite his circumstances."

"I'm Suzui Shiho. And yes, thank you sir. I know it was not easy but I'm grateful that you gave him a chance," Shiho added, bowing as well. "I'm also sorry for our sudden intrusion. Since it was last minute, I wasn't able to get you a gift. I'm sorry about that."

"What? Oh, no, no. It's fine. This is just my cafe, not my home, so there's no need for it," Sojiro exclaimed, waving his hand in dismissal. "I'm just surprised that this guy had managed to make any friends already. Especially as polite as you two. Colour me impressed." He glanced at Akira, raising an eyebrow at him, an amused smile planted on his face.

"Yeah, you guys might be kind of too polite, thanking him about me. What are you two, my parents or something?" Akira chuckled. "But thanks, you guys didn't really have to."

"Of course we're gonna thank him. Because of Boss, you're here and we're all friends, right?" Ryuji grinned, smacking Akira's back with his hand.

"Right. Of course," Akira smiled at the two of them, appreciatively. "Oh, you guys can go on ahead upstairs. I think Morgana's up there. Do you two want anything to drink in the meantime?"

"Ooh, do you have iced tea?" the blonde asked.

Akira glanced at Sojiro to which he nodded. "You're in luck, I have a few in the fridge. Feel free to have one."

"Score!" Ryuji beamed, pumping his fist in the air.

"What about you, Shiho?" Akira asked.

"Water's fine with me, thank you," she said, smiling.

"Meow!" Morgana's voice suddenly purred from atop the stairs.

"Hey, it's Morgana! How ya' doing, you little rascal? You ready to get famous all over the internet?" Ryuji exclaimed, eagerly running up the stairs. With that, Morgana hissed at him and ran further into the attic.

"I better go take care of that," Shiho said sheepishly before jogging up the stairs as well.

Akira chuckled before turning to face Sojiro, who still looked very amused. "You have friends now, huh?"

"Yeah, are you proud of me?" he grinned.

"Keep dreaming, kid. Besides, you got a long, _long_ way to go before that happens, if it ever does," Sojiro scoffed, although the smile didn't leave his face. "They seem nice though, those two. Not bad. Still, let me know beforehand if you're going to have people over from now on. A text message or something will do."

"I will. Sorry about that."

Sojiro nodded in approval before walking to the cabinet and taking out a small green mug, placing it on the counter. "Here. You can use that for the water."

"Thanks Boss," Akira said, going into the kitchen to take the pitcher and iced tea out of the fridge.

After pouring Shiho's water, he took both drinks in his hands and headed upstairs before Sojiro called out to him again. "By the way, I fed Morgana already so don't worry about that. But when you left earlier, he kept meowing and scratching the front door. I didn't really want him roaming around so I took him upstairs. Then he quieted down after that. I think the little guy missed you or something so you might wanna check up on him when you get up there."

Looks like he wasn't the only one that missed Morgana being around him. "Sure thing. Thanks for letting me know."

Sojiro only grunted in response before turning his attention back to the television.

When Akira got upstairs, Ryuji and Shiho were sitting crisscrossed on the floor. Ryuji had his phone out and was trying to film Morgana who was curled up on Shiho's lap, hissing at him. Shiho, who noticed Akira's presence, looked at him apologetically.

"Sorry, I tried to stop him but he's really persistent," she said, trying to cover Ryuji's phone as well as keeping Morgana from swiping at him.

"It's fine. I don't think he's gonna get anything anyway," Akira said, walking over to the two and placing down their drinks beside them. Upon the sight of him, Morgana meowed loudly and immediately walked over to him to paw frantically at his leg. "Whoa, hey, missed me much, huh?"

"Yeah, that's it, keep talking to him Akira. He's bound to do something if he's with you like last time," Ryuji exclaimed, moving the phone closer to the cat who hissed in reply.

"I'm telling you, this is not gonna work. You should put that phone away before Morgana rips it off your hands," Akira said, picking up the cat and sitting down beside the two, forming a triangle. "You don't want to fight with Morgana, right?"

Ryuji went quiet for a bit before sighing and pocketing his phone. "Fine. I guess I’ll stop for today."

"Just for today?" Akira chuckled before Morgana shifted in his arms. He looked down at the cat which was glaring at him. Morgana meowed a few times, pawing at Akira's chest. "I know, I know. You're mad about earlier right? I'm sorry about leaving you today. Really."

Morgana huffed at that, before meowing again and then settling into his lap, curling into a ball.

"He was mad about you leaving for school?" Shiho asked.

"Yeah, I think so. Sojiro said that he kept pawing at the front door after I left so I feel kind of guilty," Akira said, caressing Morgana on his lap.

"Aw, that's really cute but I get why you feel guilty. I would want to take him wherever I go if he ever felt lonely." She reached out and patted Morgana as well, the cat leaning into the touch.

"Should I take him with me to school? He could fit in my bag and like I could just hide him there..."

"YES!" Ryuji immediately piped up. "Great idea. I'm all for it."

"Okay, well… I know what I said but I don't think bringing pets to school is allowed," she shook her head. "Even if you sneak him in, there's no guarantee Morgana will be quiet and sit still. Besides, what if he needed to eat or use the potty?"

"Damn, those are some realistic problems you came up with," the blonde clicked his tongue in disapproval. Shiho laughed at that.

For the most part, Morgana was a fairly tame boy. In his past life, he was very helpful in classes, especially when he was called on or during exam weeks, and it helped that he was pretty okay with staying in a bag for most of the day. When it was break or lunchtime, he usually just let Morgana roam around freely and fed him if he was hungry, of course all done very discreetly. It was essential to bring him around because not only was he vital to the Phantom Thieves, he was important to him, too. The two were stuck together like glue that it just felt wrong going around without the cat.

But Morgana couldn't even talk now, and Akira was only half sure that the cat could even understand him sometimes. There wasn't really a reason to bring him around anymore besides sheer nostalgia. Was it really better to just leave him here for the remainder of their time together?

"Thanks guys but I'll figure it out later. It's not that big of a deal anyway," Akira said.

Ryuji nodded quietly. "By the way, I was just wondering about this but Sojiro's not really your uncle, right?"

Shiho raised her head at that, seemingly curious.

"No, he's not," he shook his head. "He's my caretaker for the duration of my probation period here. He said he just happened to take me in but either way, I'm still grateful he did."

"What a nice old man. Maybe he sympathized with you because of what happened?" Ryuji asked.

"Who knows? To be honest, he's been nothing but strict ever since I got here," Akira chuckled. "Mostly, anyway."

Akira noticed Shiho's slightly confused look and remembered that he never fully told her about the reason behind his transfer. Shiho noticed him looking and gave him a concerned look. It seemed like she wanted to ask about it but was too timid to do so.

"You want to know, right, Shiho?" Akira said, giving her a small smile. "I don't mind telling you why I transferred here so suddenly. You must be curious anyway."

Her eyes suddenly widened and she flailed her hands in front of her, flustered. "Um! I'm sorry, you don't have to force yourself if you don't want to. I know it must be difficult for you to talk about..."

"It's fine. I already told Ryuji and I want to tell you. I trust you guys, after all."

It seemed unexpected and Akira wondered if that might've been too forward of him but when he saw Ryuji and Shiho smile, he relaxed.

"I'm… grateful for that. I'm really glad to hear it," Shiho replied, relief in her voice. "The same goes for me, of course."

"Me too!" Ryuji exclaimed.

Akira couldn't help but smile at their eagerness to trust him, too, despite not knowing each other for very long. Perhaps it was just a feeling they had for each other, that they could somehow sense that each of them were sincere and genuine in their actions. Or maybe it was the slightest inkling of nostalgia they could feel from him. He thought it would be nice if that was the case.

When Akira spoke about his past again, he found that this time, he felt less nervous about it. With Akechi, he was a little hesitant to talk about it, especially when he still couldn't quite process what he'd been through. Then with Ryuji, he kept it short and straight to the point, as if he was trying to keep himself distant from his emotions. But now, after hearing what Ryuji and Akechi had said to him, he felt a little more comfortable with talking about it, especially when he remembered that what he did then was done with good intentions. Every single time he brought it up, he was encouraged little by little by their comforting words, and Shiho was no different.

By the time he was done talking, she looked like she was on the verge of tears before forcing herself to blink it back and giving him a smile. "I'm so sorry. You've been through a lot. I'm really glad you told me though… even if it's not easy."

"Yeah." He looked down at Morgana, who looked up at him and meowed once, pawing his face.

"It's not your fault, Akira, you know that, right?" she assured him. He looked back up at her and her expression looked more determined. He had never seen such a look on her before. "It's not. You did the right thing."

Ryuji nodded. "I would've done the same thing, too, if I were you. I just wish the law wasn't so freaking backwards. They treated you like a criminal… You didn't deserve any of that, seriously."

There was a silence that hung between them, as they brooded over their words. It felt tense, but at the same time, Akira felt comfort in knowing that they understood him. And that was enough.

"So, you guys really are like me…" Shiho muttered to herself but it was loud enough for Akira to catch it.

He glanced at Shiho, who looked at him with that same resolute expression. She took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly. He noticed that her hands were shaking as she clasped them together in her lap. It seemed like she was preparing herself to talk about it.

"You can take your time, Shiho," Ryuji said softly, realizing what was happening. "Whatever you need, we're here for you."

"Yeah, but please don't force yourself," Akira assured her. "Everything here is confidential and will only be between me and Ryuji. Of course, if you're okay with it, we can use your testimony as evidence against Kamoshida. But only if you're comfortable with that. If you do, Akechi and I will do everything we can to protect you. But of course, we'll still do that even if you decide not to testify. It's up to you."

Shiho shook her head weakly. "I know. But I already decided to help you guys and I don't want to back out from that. Especially if my testimony will make a difference."

"Alright..." Akira nodded.

Morgana, who seemed to have noticed the tension in the room, looked up from Akira's lap. He then hopped off and walked over to Shiho, curling into her lap again. "Meow."

"Looks like he's your moral support," Ryuji said in jest.

Shiho laughed softly, before going quiet again. She looked down at Morgana, caressing him gently. It seemed to have helped ease her anxiety a bit and Akira was grateful for that.

"Well, okay," she muttered, gulping to herself. "Um, sorry, I don't really know where to start, to be honest."

"That's alright, we'll take it slow," Akira said, reassuringly. "Would it help if I asked you questions about it?"

"Yeah, okay." She nodded.

"Right, so…" he trailed off, careful to go about wording his thoughts. "Just to confirm, is Kamoshida abusive to you?"

After a long silence, she nodded meekly. "... Yes."

He felt himself tense up. "Is he abusive to everyone on the team or just to you?"

"He's like that to everyone… But I think Mishima and I are the ones he calls on often. At least I think so…"

Right, Mishima was also a possible witness for this case. If he also agrees to help him out, the case might have some solid evidence to stand on. "What does he do to you, exactly? Is he physical, verbal or―or…" he trails off, not sure he wants to finish it. "... sexual?"

At this, Shiho seems to cave into herself. She's hugging Morgana now into her arms, shaking.

"You don't have to give the details right now," Ryuji said, comfortingly. "Whatever you're okay with."

"...Yeah," she hugs Morgana tighter. The cat licks her face, meowing softly. "Um, he's… He's done all of them to me..."

At that, Ryuji balls his hands into fists but keeps quiet. Akira's chest tightens and he has to shake his tension off to continue. "Um, okay, so can you… can you think of any reason as to why... he would do those things to you?"

He didn't really want to ask that question but hearing it directly from her might help clear up his motivations. Akira knows that Kamoshida is targeting Shiho to get Ann's attention. He's also a shitty scumbag who has no regard for anyone else other than himself. Kamoshida also seems to take pride in breaking people who have promising talent in sports, such as Ryuji. If he remembers correctly, Shiho was a star player in volleyball and has been playing since middle school. It made sense why he would target her but it still didn't help the feeling of anger growing in Akira.

"I―I don't know, to be honest. Whenever he's mad or stressed, he just… he would call me into his room and b-beat me. Sometimes he doesn't really even seem to see me… He'd be muttering to himself about something he was angry about without caring about me. As if I was just there to relieve his stress."

Akira nodded, glancing at Ryuji. He had a solemn look on his face and he could tell it took everything in him not to burst into tears. He looked away, rubbing his eyes quietly.

"And…" Shiho continued, although with great difficulty as Akira could tell that she was on the verge of tears. "Sometimes… Sometimes he talks about Ann. How he keeps trying to―to approach her. When it doesn't go well, he would… call for me. But I was okay with it, if it meant he wouldn't touch Ann. I―I really didn't want him to hurt her, no matter what. So I never told her any of this and I'm just… I'm so terrified of what she would think of me if she knew. I want to protect her so bad but I'm just _so_ weak and helpless. I keep telling myself to get through it―if I endure it, Ann will be safe. But to be honest, I don't know how much longer I can take anymore of this… I really don't know…"

At that, she breaks down into sobs, burrowing her face in her hands. Morgana, who seemed to have noticed her distress, licks her face more frantically. Akira hurriedly grabs the tissue box off his desk and places it in front of Shiho, placing a comforting hand on her back. She seemed to have noticed him and tried to smile at him weakly before crying again. Ryuji scooted closer to her and grabbed a tissue from the box, blowing his nose into it loudly.

"That's―" Shiho sniffs loudly, her voice croaking. "That's why I'm so… so grateful to you guys. I didn't know how much longer… I could go on until you offered to help. So, please… Please help Ann! I think it's been hard on her, too, but… but she won't tell me about it. And I get why. I―I'm a coward, I couldn't tell her either… Because of Kamoshida... But if anything happened to her… I… I might...!"

Akira's been trying to keep a calm face the entire time but seeing Ryuji and Shiho cry uncontrollably, he couldn't take it anymore and also began to sob himself. He empathized with them so badly that his chest began to hurt from how distraught he felt. His vision began to get blurry and Akira had to take off his glasses to be able to wipe his face better. The three of them thus took turns taking a tissue from the box and blowing their noses into it. 

Morgana, who was so distraught over the three's breakdowns, was trying to keep up in comforting them. He patted Akira's knee. He pawed at Ryuji's face. He nuzzled at Shiho's hands. But all of them continued to wail into sobs.

"You know, volleyball is… all I have. Without it, I'm useless," she stammered. "It's all I'm good for. And I was fine with that, I loved playing it so much... But lately, it's been really hard to enjoy it… And I've been doing worse and worse. Even so, I don't―I don't want to be kicked off the team! It's all I have… that and Ann… I just… If I lose those..."

"I―" Ryuji began, his voice cracking. "I get it. I've been there, right? That's why, we'll protect you, no matter what. But I'm just… I'm so sorry… you went through that. I'm really so sorry."

"I'm sorry, too..." Akira sobbed, sniffing. "I'm so sorry… I wish… I wish that never happened to you. I wished we were all okay. That no one screwed us over and that… that we could just be okay. You deserved none of this, Shiho…"

"Fuck, we deserved none of this!" Ryuji cried. "Why…! Damnit!"

Eventually, Sojiro came upstairs to check all the ruckus they made and almost stumbled backwards seeing all of them crying. He tried to calm them down, hurriedly running down and grabbing them all glasses of water to drink. When they finally cooled down, Sojiro promptly closed the cafe and told them all to come downstairs to eat some curry in hopes that they would feel better.

The three of them then slowly trudged down the stairs and took up seats in a booth. They quietly looked at each other, all of their eyes puffy and swollen with their noses comically red from blowing their noses, one would think they were all clowns or descendants of Rudolph the reindeer. Ryuji then started laughing, pointing at Akira's face.

"Oh my god, dude, you look so ugly right now! Your eyes! You look like you're high, I swear," Ryuji said, fumbling around to take his phone out. "Look, let me take a photo."

"What! No way! Point that thing away from me!" Akira said, leaning over the table to grab Ryuji's phone. "That's not fair! I'm so vulnerable right now, damn it! Seriously!"

"If you two idiots don't stop horsing around, I'm not giving you any curry," Sojiro said, coming over to their table to drop off a curry in front of Shiho. 

"Thank you," she said gratefully, smiling at Sojiro.

The two immediately settled down and straightened up, both their stomach's growling at the smell of the food. Sojiro grinned, placing two more plates in front of Ryuji and Akira. The three of them spent the rest of the evening gushing over the curry and admiring the cafe. Morgana came down shortly to rest in Akira's lap, despite his protests about still being in the middle of eating. Of course, the cat ignored him and laid still. Typical cat behaviour.

Sojiro just watched over them from the counter, a worried look on his face, but otherwise kept quiet. He glanced at Akira, a questioning look in his eye, to which Akira only shook his head. If Sojiro wanted to know about what happened, he'd have to tell him something he wouldn't bat an eye at.

Maybe he could pass up their sobfest earlier as a contest to see who could cry the hardest. Akira chuckled to himself. If only it were as simple as that.

When they were all done eating, Sojiro took care of the dishes and told Akira to walk his friends to the station. Morgana trotted after them, wanting to come with, which Akira happily picked up in his arms. Akira was grateful that the old man let them go without asking about earlier, but he supposed he would have to answer him when he gets back later.

By the time they walked outside, it was still fairly bright out but it was clear that dusk was imminent. Ryuji let out a loud belch, earning a few dirty looks from passersby. Shiho only laughed in response while Morgana hissed, glaring at him. Akira couldn't help but smile at the silliness of it all.

As they were walking, Akira found himself zoning out, his thoughts wandering towards earlier at the attic. It was probably the first time he'd ever cried like that. Something about the way Shiho looked so torn, talking about how she wanted to protect Ann, that volleyball was all she was good for, it just struck a chord with him. It didn't help that Ryuji was also bawling alongside them, which was not an usual thing for him to do either. And yet, he must have felt it, too. Her agony felt exactly the same as theirs that it felt like they saw themselves in each other.

Akira thought about the Shiho in his past life, her crumpled body on the school grounds, Ann's miserable wails as she held her in her arms. He thought about her in the hospital bed, her pale form so eerily still that it almost felt as if she was already a corpse. The consequence of a misconduct and negligence taken too far. From that day forward, Akira vowed to take matters into his own hands so that nothing like that would ever happen again.

But it was a heavy responsibility, much too heavy for the likes of a mere teenager. He could feel the weight of it digging into his shoulders once more and he thought to himself, _Not again. I'm not confident I can do everything right this time. How do I know I won't fail again in this life? What if this is my last chance?_

He looked up at Shiho walking in front of him, a little battered looking but still managing a smile, a carefree look on her face. She's listening to Ryuji about something Akira couldn't quite catch and she laughs. Akira thought about the Shiho he remembered before, her hunched shoulders, her head downcast and dejected with no hint of light in her eyes, and he knew, somehow, that it would be different this time. He just had to believe in that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and wow, i'm surprised i managed to squeeze one more chapter before the year ended. i really did not expect that but at least i'll leave it with a good note. i hope you're all doing okay though.
> 
> anyways, these three are my children now and i'm going to free them from Atlus and give them proper love because they deserve it, damnit. i just want them to be okay...


	5. In which Akira tries his best.

"So, want to fill me in on what that was all about back there?" Sojiro asked, once Akira had returned and settled down on a chair by the counter. The old man was wiping down a mug with a cloth. Morgana hopped up and sat on the seat beside Akira's. "Is that something teenagers normally do nowadays or what?"

Akira chuckled a little, shaking his head. "Well, it depends. I mean, we are going through puberty. We're probably more prone to crying nowadays because of that."

The old man only frowned. "I guess but all three of you, crying? At once? That seems pretty strange to just pass it up as hormones."

Akira was quiet for a bit, glancing at Morgana. The cat only blinked back at him before yawning and then licking his paw.

He probably shouldn't tell him about the details of the investigation. Especially not the fact that he was planning to take down an abusive teacher. Sojiro would pull his hair out if he knew Akira wasn't doing well on his promise to keep a low profile or behave properly. But it didn't really feel right to outright lie to his face, especially when he knows the old man's been doing his best to accommodate him.

"We… were just talking about our pasts. It seems like Ryuji and Shiho went through some stuff and I felt really bad for them," he finally said, looking at the counter absentmindedly. "I could understand them because well… I've been through stuff, too. So, we just kind of let it out. I'm sorry if we were bothering you."

Sojiro, who seemed to be surprised at the honest explanation, went quiet. He was seemingly deep in thought about something. Akira was afraid to meet his eye because he wasn't sure how he would feel about it. After a long tense silence, the old man finally sighed and set down the mug on the counter.

"Oh. Well. No, it's… it's alright. It wasn't really bothering me, I was just concerned when I heard wailing in the attic," he said softly, seemingly understanding. "But I suppose it's a good thing you're all friends now, right? Considering you can all understand each other. I think that's good for you." Then, he paused. "I mean that."

Akira looked up, surprised at his words. He could see that he really did mean it. The old man's usual scrutinizing gaze was a lot gentler, his eyes crinkling in sympathy. Akira can't recall the last time Sojiro ever looked like that.

"Thank you, Sojiro." Akira gave him a smile.

Sojiro seemed to be taken aback by him suddenly calling his name before looking away, his hand poorly covering up a smile. "Well, I don't really like to be nosy or anything but if you kids ever need anything, feel free to talk to me. Or tell them to drop by here. I'll admit I'm not exactly the best person for advice and the like but I have to at least act like a proper adult when I can."

"If it means anything, I think you're doing great, Boss," Akira said, helpfully. "You've been really helpful to me. I know it's not easy taking care of me but I’m really glad you gave me a chance. It makes me want to do my best."

"Hey, if I didn't know any better, you might be trying to butter me up right now," Sojiro smirked, shaking his head. "But… that's good to hear. As long as you're taking your probation seriously."

The two stayed there in a comfortable silence, smiling at each other with newfound appreciation.

Akira really liked Sojiro. Sure, he was rough at times and nagged at him whenever he could, but he knew he was always trying his best. When he recalled how distraught he was over how to take care of Futaba, he couldn't help but feel bad for the guy. Back then, he already had his hands full with her and somehow, he had agreed to house Akira on top of that. To be honest, it was a miracle if anything else.

When it came time to find someone to take Akira in during his probation period, not one of his relatives stepped up to do so. Although, it made sense why they never did. He wasn't exactly a family favourite in anyone's eyes, not even to his own parents. It was only made more apparent when his parents got divorced, hence separating the family even more so. Perhaps that was where his feelings of estrangement―of not really belonging anywhere―began to take root. 

In the very few family gatherings he attended, nobody even so much as batted an eye at him. The relatives all left him be, talking behind his back when they thought he was out of earshot and told their children to keep their distance from him. Akira could remember spending most of his time in an empty part of the house, hoping it was almost time to leave soon. It was certainly better than having to watch them flaunt their child's achievements so shamelessly but at the same time, he couldn't help feeling slight envy. After all, it's not like he ever knew what such a thing was like.

When the incident happened, unsurprisingly, his relatives were the quickest to turn their backs on him. His father even more so. Akira would never forget the look of utter humiliation on his father's face when he saw him in that police station. They locked eyes once through the bars he was detained in as Akira called out for him, before his father turned away, his face twisting into one of shame. He found that he could never quite look him in the eye the same now.

Soon after, rumours circulated like wildfire which in turn, caused everyone to criticize and shame his family. His father had to handle the brunt of it all which took a hit at his mental health and therefore, often took it out on Akira in the form of a fit of rage or cold neglect. Akira understood why, but that didn't mean it hurt any less. It just seemed like the situation gave everyone even more of a reason to mistreat him. He couldn't go a day without feeling someone's eyes watching him, judging his every move, barely catching the whispers of scrutiny about him. 

To put it simply, it was pure agony.

And just when he thought there was no more hope for him, Sojiro volunteered to take him in one day. It was, quite frankly, unexpected. His father told him the news after he got off the phone with him and promptly told him to pack for the trip. Akira could tell he was glad to be rid of him, if only for a year, and somehow, he was relieved, too. He didn't think he would last much longer if he continued to stay there.

Of course, Sojiro was far from perfect but he thought it was better than anyone else in his hometown. Really, leaving Tokyo was probably one of the best things that ever happened to him, aside from the other bad stuff that occurred in the coming months. It truly did feel like a weight was slightly eased off of him when he stepped foot here the first time. At least it wasn't suffocating as it was at home.

Despite everything though, he wondered how his father was doing. Even if Akira was gone, it's not like the community would stop shaming their family. As far as he was concerned, that was a permanent black stain that would never really go away. His father would still have to deal with the consequences of that, alone. 

Akira doesn't know what to think of that. He really doesn't.

"You know, that reminds me, I think Akechi might've been crying too, the first time he visited here." Sojiro snapped him out of his deep rumination, shuffling away to put the clean mug in the cabinet. "Makes me think my cafe is like triggering something in teenagers nowadays, considering what happened today. I really hope that's not the case."

His curiosity peaked, Akira jerked his head up. "What? Really? Did he tell you why?"

"No, he didn't. It was about two years ago now anyway and I might just be remembering it wrong. Frankly, my memories' been kind of foggy nowadays," Sojiro explained, scratching his chin. "Huh, never realized how long that kid's been coming here."

 _Two years ago? Isn't that… about the same time Akechi killed Wakaba Isshiki in my other life?_ "Um, can you remember exactly what happened and what he was like back then?"

"Well, hm, after he walked through that door for the first time, he started tearing up on the spot. Of course, I was worried so I offered him coffee on the house, to make him feel better. Which I think did him some good," he said, thoughtfully. "Then, he said something about how the coffee was good and thanked me. But after that, he didn't really say much of anything else. He was just sitting there by the countertop, deep in thought about something. I can't remember more except that he still paid for the drink and asked if he could come back again."

"That's… That sounds kind of unlike him," Akira quietly said.

"Yeah, I guess so. He's certainly different now but back then, he was a lot more mellow, per se. Like I said, he was quiet. Didn't open up much at first."

Akira could imagine that. After all, he's been through a lot of stuff, too. That outburst of his in the engine room still lingered in the back of his mind. He didn't know exactly if Akechi was mellow because he met Shido but he genuinely hoped that wasn't the case. It didn't seem like it was if Wakaba is alive now, but again, maybe he had other plans for her.

"When you talked to Akechi then, did you ever feel like… anything was wrong with him? Like he was going through something, maybe?"

"What's this? You worried about him now or something?" Sojiro smirked, raising an eyebrow at him. "And here I thought you were trying to get rid of him."

"Well, because I was. At least, that was the case before, anyway," Akira chuckled a bit. "I just don't mix well with people like his type, popular and charming and stuff. And you can't exactly blame me when I just came fresh from the countryside and he's the first person to talk to me. I was suspicious, you know?"

"That's true, I suppose," Sojiro laughed. "I told you, he's a good guy, and I usually have good judgement of people." Then, he paused for a bit, in contemplation. "But regarding if anything was up about him, I wouldn't say I noticed anything of the sort. He opened up to me about most of the stuff he needed advice for but you know, it did seem like he always had something weighing on him in his mind. Not that he ever told me about it."

"And you never asked?"

"No, it wasn't my business. And I'm saying that in a nice way. I don't like being nosy or anything but I figured he'll tell me if he's ready or hopefully figure it out himself," he said, his expression a bit wistful. "Hm, I don't know. I guess if I had to explain it properly, Akechi always seemed like he was waiting for something… or someone. Although, I've no clue who that might just be or if it's even true. I could just be reading too much into it."

Akira's heart suddenly began to pound hard. Actually, it seemed to have already been doing so the moment Sojiro mentioned Akechi crying two years ago, but he didn't seem to have noticed until now. He didn't quite know how to process this or how to even begin such a thing.

It couldn't have been him, could it? The person that he was waiting for… But if there was any chance that Akechi somehow _knew_ who he was—if he remembered him then… Why hasn't he brought it up yet?

Perhaps he couldn't for the same reasons Akira couldn't tell him either. For fear or worry and everything else that came with that. It would make sense then. Akechi was a very calculative person and he would be extremely wary of him if he had any sort of inkling that he remembered.

Besides, it wouldn't be such an easy task admitting it anyway. Especially if the last memory the two had of each other was of Akira dying before Akechi's very eyes. Not exactly a flattering way to remember someone, or a way to go down. There was also a lot of baggage they'd have to unpack if it ever came down to it. Stuff that Akira wouldn't know how to answer, or was afraid to do so. He wasn't ready for that―to face Akechi. Not just yet, at least.

Maybe that was why Akechi was being so nice to him now and how his demeanour seemed to have loosened up by a lot. It would make sense if he never met Shido and focused a good deal of his time doing something else. Like waiting for him, apparently. Two years is a long time to ponder about everything but Akira could only remember that much until just recently. He would need time, too, to sort things out. Even if he had a barrage of questions to ask the damn boy, he decided that that would have to wait. The investigation was more important at the moment, anyway. They had plenty of time to deal with that if the time came for it, at least until something else comes up to throw them off. Hopefully not but who knows nowadays?

 _And… if anything… I really don't want to know what he thinks of me now,_ Akira thought. _Seriously, I can never know what that guy is thinking._

"You okay, kid?" Sojiro asked, snapping Akira out of his thoughts. "You went quiet suddenly."

"No... I'm fine, sorry," Akira shook his head, sighing. "Just a bit tired now."

"Makes sense. After how hard you cried earlier, you probably need some rest." He gestured his head towards the fridge. "Well, I won't keep you. If you're still hungry, there's some leftover curry inside. Otherwise, you should hit the bed early. Although, it looks like your little friend there already beat you to it."

Akira turned his head to find Morgana fast asleep, curled up on the chair into a ball. He eased at the sight of him, smiling slightly. He must’ve been tired today, too, after trying to comfort three bawling teenagers. Akira can’t imagine how frustrating it must be for Morgana to not be able to speak to them, only having to resort to cat gestures to convey what he wanted. Today, he thought it came across pretty well. Akira could hear Ryuji and Shiho giggling a little earlier, mid cry, when Morgana was licking their faces. Everybody feels better with a cat, after all.

Sojiro took off his apron and hung it on the hook by the wall, turning towards the door. He bid Akira goodnight shortly before locking it, the sound of the door clicking shut behind him. Akira then carefully carried the sleeping cat off the chair and into his arms, carrying him up the stairs towards the attic, but not before struggling to close the lights downstairs with his shoulder.

"Why are you so damn heavy, Morgana?" he mumbled to himself, struggling to maintain his upper arm strength.

Once he finally got to the bed, carefully laying him down on the pillow, the cat suddenly jolted awake. He got up on all fours, alert and eagerly staring at Akira, meowing.

"Whoops, sorry I woke you. You can go back to sleep if you want," he said, plopping down flat on his back, the bed creaking under him. The cat only crawled on his chest, making himself comfortable.

"Meow," said Morgana.

Akira sighed. He looked at the ceiling, his thoughts hazy from the long day. "You said it Morgana, I'm beat. I learned a lot of stuff today. But it's just kind of hard to organize all of it. I'll get through it eventually but that doesn't make it any easier.” He paused, before absentmindedly stroking Morgana’s head. “Thanks for trying to comfort us earlier. We were just talking about Shiho’s experiences with Kamoshida and… well, I guess it just really got to us.”

Morgana meowed again, blinking at him.

"You remember me, right, Morgana? I'm not just going insane already or something, right?" he asked, absentmindedly.

The cat nodded before bumping his head against Akira's chest, nuzzling gently. Akira laughed softly, taking the cat's face in his hands. "I knew it! Thank you…"

Morgana meowed against his face, still nuzzling gently, his whiskers tickling his cheeks.

"Sorry for leaving you here today, by the way. I know I remembered taking you with me before but well, you really can't talk to me anymore, huh," Akira sighed. The cat pulled back to look at him, his ears drooping slightly. "I figured Sojiro would worry if you were gone so I had to keep you here, but I'll let him know to let you out starting tomorrow. Of course, I'll try to do something about conversing with you. Teach you how to write or something, I don't know. We'll work through this together, like we always have. For now, just nod to me if you can understand, okay?"

Morgana nodded again, meowing cheerily.

"Good boy," he smiled at him, lazily. "Well, on the bright side, at least now I won't have to hear you nagging at me all the time like before."

At that, Morgana hissed, swatting his tail on his hand. "Hey, I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Geez, you're still feisty as ever."

The cat huffed proudly at that, his ears pricked slightly forward.

"Yeah, who am I kidding? There's no bright side to this. To be honest, I really miss you talking to me. I mean, how else am I gonna' pass my exams in classes now? I'm screwed," he chuckled when the cat blinked, unimpressed at him. "Okay, that's not everything obviously. You're really relaxing to have around and I liked our late night talks about random stuff. You helped out a lot of times before that I still haven't had a chance to properly thank you."

"Meow," Morgana purred, licking Akira's nose gently.

"Haha, that tickles," he laughed, patting the cat gently on his back. The cat eventually stopped and looked at him again. Akira went quiet, yawning a bit before muttering, "You know, apparently you're not the only one who remembers me. Akechi seems to know something, too. Or maybe you already felt that somehow?"

Morgana's ears perked up at that.

Akira was now struggling to keep his eyes open, his eyelids gradually getting heavier. "It kind of makes sense… Given how strange he's been acting… I think I kind of knew then somehow, but I didn't want to acknowledge it. I won't tell him I remember just yet… I don't think I'm really ready to face him…" he went quiet for a bit before whispering, "You don't think I'm selfish for it, do you, Morgana?"

Akira saw him shake his head before he felt Morgana's paws cover his eyes gently. He placed a hand over the soft paw and squeezed it, chucking under his breath before sighing. "It’s already pretty obvious but I don’t have my Persona. I can’t hear or feel Arsene at all. I’m not sure if they even exist in this world anymore or just that I can’t see them somehow. But for some reason, I still have my memories… and so, I’m not just going to give up. I’m going to help Shiho and everyone again. You’ll help me... right?”

He heard Morgana meow quietly, his paws still covering his eyes. Akira could feel himself getting more and more drowsy, his brain slowly turning to mush.

“Hey, Morgana… I’m sorry,” he whispered, “I'm sorry I left you all behind back then. I failed all of you... I know this isn't really going to make up for it, but I just…"

Shortly after, Akira drifted off to sleep, his hand still resting on Morgana's paw. The cat carefully peeled himself off him and proceeded to hop off the bed to close the lights, nudged Akira's glasses off of his face and pulled the covers over him with his teeth. He then gently crawled back onto his chest, snuggling up against Akira's neck, the slow rise and fall of his breathing gently lulling him to sleep, too.

* * *

When Ms. Kawakami announced the volleyball rally, it was clear that wasn’t something anyone in the class looked forward to. In another school, perhaps the students would’ve been happier if only because they wouldn’t have to sit through a boring lecture. But not in Shujin Academy, not when someone like Kamoshida was free to do as he pleased.

Akira was sitting on the floor beside Ryuji, overlooking the gym. He watched as Kamoshida laughed gleefully amongst the other teachers, oblivious to the other team's impending dread. Mishima was on the court stretching, looking a bit worse for wear. He had a large bandage plastered on the side of his left cheek as well as an elbow and knee brace. His fingers were wrapped in bandage tape, most likely as some form of protection. Even from where Akira was sitting, he could tell the guy was in no shape to play. There were some other players that looked just as banged up as he did but not to the extent of Mishima.

The girls were sitting on the sidelines with Ann at the very end, looking like she wished she were somewhere else. She caught Akira staring at her and gave him a small smile before she went back to idling.

“God, just look at that asshole. Acting like he owns the place,” Ryuji scowled, his leg bouncing restlessly. “I want to punch that smug grin off his face so fucking badly.”

“You and me both dude,” sighed Akira. “Don’t catch him hearing that from you though. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I know…” he shook his head, grimacing. “How’s your face, by the way? I passed out as soon as I got home yesterday ‘cuz I was so tired from crying. Being full from the curry really helped with that. Sojiro sure is a mean cook.”

“Same here, I went to sleep after I dropped you guys off. My face was pretty sore but nothing a good night’s rest won’t fix. I don’t think I remember crying like that in a long time,” Akira chuckled slightly. “And tell me about it, I nearly died eating his curry the first time.”

“For real? Dude, that’s so dumb,” Ryuji laughed before his face turned more somber. “Yeah, I can’t remember crying that hard either. I remembered crying a little when the track team got abolished but I was more angry at Kamoshida if anything. I think hearing Shiho talk about her issues yesterday kinda, like, broke a dam inside me or something. Like shit, she really went through a lot. I could understand her pain. Somewhere inside, I think I was like holding back some sort of baggage but when she cried, I felt like it was okay to let go of it.”

“Yeah, I feel that,” Akira said, quietly. “But it felt kind of good, didn’t it? Having someone acknowledge and understand our pain. Nobody ever did that for me so it felt really freeing, in a way.”

“Definitely freeing. I slept like a baby after that. It’s like a weight came off of me,” he nodded. “Did Sojiro ask you about what happened? I mean, he was probably worried or something.”

“He did. I told him that we were just talking about our pasts but I didn’t go into detail about it, don’t worry.”

“Wow, really? Was he mad?”

“No, no, he was more accepting if anything. He even said we could talk to him anytime if we needed someone,” Akira smiled.

“Damn, that’s really nice of him,” Ryuji beamed. “I’m surprised he took that well. Most people would probably be turned off by a bunch of teenagers crying.”

“I know I would.”

“Dude, no! We’d swoop in to save them, right?” Ryuji smacked his shoulder, although it was a pretty light hit.

“Hey, I was just kidding! Of course I’d help them out,” Akira yelped in surprise, rubbing his shoulder while pouting in mock pain. “Yeesh, your smack’s sure are deadly.”

“Sure it is,” he rolled his eyes, grinning.

Suddenly, Kamoshida’s loud, booming voice echoed around the gym. “Alright, guys! Warm up’s over. It’s game time! Give me all you’ve got, okay? I don’t want anyone holding back now. I know I won’t.”

At that, some of the teachers on his team laughed. None of the students did so, mostly mustering a nervous laugh or two amongst the boy’s team. Mishima wasn’t one of them. He flinched at the sound of his voice and seemed to be somewhat shaking on the spot. Akira could do nothing but watch helplessly as they all shuffled into their positions on the court.

Really, Akira would have liked to get Mishima out of there but he didn’t quite know how. He couldn’t exactly pull another love confession again; it was already embarrassing enough the first time. Besides, doing another one in less than a week might’ve been pushing it, unless he wanted a rumour that he was a hopeless playboy to go around the school. His reputation was already bad enough as it is, especially regarding what the others have been calling him. It could've been worse, but Akira didn't want it to go there.

The game starts off strong, with the ball swiftly bouncing between the two teams. Eventually, Kamoshida would begin smacking the ball as hard as he could. It was so loud that the impact reverberated around the gym. He seemed to be the only one overeager to play as Akira watched him run around the court, almost bumping into the teachers to get to the ball first. Whenever a teacher made a good play, he could almost catch sight of Kamoshida's annoyed expression before he shook it away.

As time passed, Kamoshida's plays began to get more and more aggressive. His serves became more frenetic and he would use any chance he got to spike the ball as hard as he could, to the point that it seemed excessively unnecessary. The boys on the other team would flinch every time the gym teacher hit, seemingly running away from the ball instead of towards it. When a spike eventually hit someone, they would try to brush it off, insisting they could still play. Akira didn't miss the small smirk on Kamoshida's face when he heard that.

"Hey guys, put your backs into it, will you? It feels like I'm the only one doing all the work here," Kamoshida bellowed, his hands on his hips. "You could hardly call this a game."

The teachers on his team laughed again, none of them looking particularly tired. It was a great contrast to the other team where all the boys looked just about ready to drop like flies.

"That's a former olympic athlete for you. He's barely broken a sweat," one teacher said.

"I'm surprised we have more energy than the boys there. And I'm in my mid 40's!" joked another one.

Akira watched Mishima catching his breath in front of them, his hands on his knees. Sweat was soaking the back of his shirt and he looked like he was ready to pass out. Kamoshida got a few good hits on him so far, injuring Mishima on his shoulder and arms whenever he tried returning the ball. All of his spikes seemed too precise to be called an accident, as if he was deliberately aiming for where it would hurt the most. It was only a matter of time before Kamoshida decided to go for his face…

"Dude, do you see that guy over there? He looks like he's gonna pass out or something," Ryuji nudged Akira, jerking his head towards Mishima. "Shouldn't they call a timeout by now?"

It was probably due to Kamoshida pressuring them so much that the other team felt inclined to keep going. He knew he was wearing them down and he enjoyed every bit of it, as long as he was able to gloat over their misery.

Watching this all unfold frustrated Akira to no end. All these teachers and not one could realize what was happening behind the surface level stuff. Not one having the gall enough to tell Kamoshida to ease off. To tell him enough is enough.

Akira saw Kamoshida eyeing Mishima, a wicked glint in his eye as he spiked the ball with a loud bang. Before he knew it, Akira was on his feet pushing him out of the way, the ball colliding hard with his face. The impact caused him to fall on his back, his glasses scattering across the floor. He could feel his forehead and nose stinging badly, his eyes tearing up because of it.

"Akira!" he heard Ryuji cry out. There was a rush of footsteps nearing around him, trying to help him up.

"Oh my god, is he okay?" Ann asked, her voice thick with worry.

Akira could barely open his eyes as he tried to get a proper bearing of his surroundings. He felt strong hands propping him up on his feet, his arm sliding around their neck. Akira looked up to find Ryuji supporting him up. Mishima was still on the floor, looking at him with a mix of confusion and concern.

"Hey, your nose is bleeding! Let's get you to the infirmary quick, okay?" Ryuji said. Akira wiped a hand over his nose and saw blood dripping out fast before quickly placing pressure on the bridge of it.

"Now just what did you do that for?" Kamoshida asked, who was making his way to the crowd forming Akira. "You're just a spectator. Mishima could've served the ball back fine and you wouldn’t have gotten hurt."

With great effort, Akira found his voice which came out a bit hoarse but bitter sounding nonetheless. "No, he couldn't have. And you know it."

Intense fury seethed from Kamoshida as he glared at Akira, his face contorting into irritation. Akira glared back, holding his gaze, refusing to back down. He wanted him to know that he wasn't just going to be another spectator in this school, not if he could help it. He was going to defy him head on. No more hesitations about that.

Finally, some teachers had the sense to break them up, sending Akira to the infirmary with Ryuji helping him. Akira could feel Kamoshida's eyes on his back as he left the gym, letting out a sigh of relief when they were out of sight.

Thankfully, the infirmary wasn't too far and it seemed to be deserted for the time being. Akira hobbled on the bed, tilting his head forward to stop the bleeding. His entire face ached all over, as well as his back and he felt his head throbbing badly. Ryuji made haste, grabbing a first aid kit from a nearby cabinet before grabbing a stool and settling in front of Akira.

"Okay, let's see the damage," he said, sounding a bit anxious.

Akira slowly removed the pressure off his nose, wincing when he did so. He tried to muster a slight smile, albeit very painful. "How do I look? Still recognizable, I hope?"

"You idiot, of course you're still recognizable," Ryuji chuckled softly before his face turned more sober. "Just... Just a lot of blood though. Let's get you cleaned up man."

Ryuji gave him a clean tissue to wipe off the bloody residue. Then, he gave him another one to plug his nose, which was still bleeding quite a bit, before applying pressure again. The blonde inspected his features, which he commented as "being red and swollen" and went to grab an ice pack from the fridge.

"Thanks," Akira mumbled, wincing when Ryuji pressed it against his forehead.

"Don't mention it. Just get better soon," he said quietly. He studied Akira for a bit before speaking again. "Why did you do that back there? Covering for Mishima? I mean―"

Before Ryuji could finish, Mishima shuffled inside the infirmary, promptly closing the door behind him. He looked shaken up but otherwise, not too badly injured which made Akira sigh in relief. When their eyes met, the boy fidgeted on the spot, unsure of what to do.

"Um, s-sorry to interrupt. I just thought I'd give you your glasses back…" he stammered, holding out Akira's large rimmed glasses, which was surprisingly still intact. "I… I don't think it's scratched. I checked it."

Akira smiled a bit, taking it from him with his free hand. "That's good to hear, thanks. I don't think I'd have insurance to cover for it anyway. God knows how expensive these are."

_Not that I really need them much, anyway._

Ryuji chuckled under his breath but Mishima only looked more guilty. His head was down, seemingly contemplating something.

"It's good to see you're okay though. I think you would've been unconscious if that hit you," Akira said.

Mishima whipped his head up, his face looking ashamed. "U-Um, why… Why did you cover for me back there? I'm grateful for it, really… but because of me, you got injured. You-You don't even know me and yet you still did that. Why?"

He could see that his hands were trembling on his sides, which he didn't seem to be aware of.

"Hey, it's okay. I didn't get hurt because of you, you know. That was because of Kamoshida," Akira slowly said, looking Mishima in the eye. "I know what he does to you guys. In practice. Behind closed doors… He's hurt you badly, hasn't he? I can see it just by looking at you and it's just―I know I would never forgive myself if I sat around while people got hurt around me."

"What?" Mishima exclaimed, his expression turning panicked. "He―That's…! It's not like that! He doesn't…"

"Seriously? You're gonna' deny it, even after what you saw him do today?" Ryuji asked, a little too loudly, which made Mishima flinch. "Dude, what about those bruises? You're telling me they're just from practice, too?"

"Too? What?" he was visibly confused, looking at both Akira and Ryuji.

Akira sighed, placing a hand on Ryuji to calm him down a bit. "To tell you the truth, we're investigating Kamoshida with Goro Akechi. We're trying to put a stop to his abuse and to do that, we need testimonies. Or direct witnesses that can attest to his abusive nature. People like you."

At that, Mishima took a step back, his expression more puzzled and disbelieving. "I… You are? And Akechi? W-Why… How?"

"I know it's hard to believe but I've partnered up with him because I wanted to help. I know what it's like to be mistreated by someone older than me… and I'm not going to let that happen here anymore," Akira firmly said, his voice sounding more determined.

"Same here. Kamoshida ruined my life and the track team's future. Because of him, none of us can run together again," Ryuji piped up. "And Shiho, too. You guys are on the team together, right? You must know that she's been hurt by him, too. She said she's willing to testify for us if it means Kamoshida rots behind bars."

"What? Suzui? She's been…" he shook his head, looking pained. "No, just how are you like this anyway? Despite all the mixed rumours I spread about you… you still confessed to her then and saved me. I don't get it, why?"

"Wait, hold on, you're telling me you were the one who spread rumours about Akira's criminal record?" Ryuji asked suddenly, giving the ice pack to Akira before getting up from the stool.

"Ryuji, calm down―" Akira tried to say but he couldn't exactly tell him he already knew all this.

"Eek! I'm-I'm sorry! I know it was wrong but I had no choice!" Mishima held his arms up over his face in defense. "He was going to beat me if I didn't! Or kick me off the team! But he still punished me anyway… because he said it wasn't working as well as he wanted it to. I-I didn't want this to happen! None of it! I just wanted him to stop hurting me!"

"Look, I get it. You had no choice. We all felt like that with him," Ryuji shook his head, his expression sharp. "But that's why you can help us now, right? You can testify in court and help us stop him!"

"Do-Do you really think it's that simple? What about the teachers, the principal? None of them has ever done anything for us, what makes this time any different? What can someone like us do?"

"But it's better than nothing isn't it?! I'm tired of him pushing us around as he pleases. If Akira and Akechi are my only hopes of getting some peace in this damn school then I'm betting everything I have on them!" Ryuji was yelling now, his hands balled into fists at his side. "I'm not going to make any more excuses, so you should stop, too. Would you rather be a coward forever than stand up for yourself? Shiho's scared as hell, too, you know, but at least she was willing to take a risk for us!"

At that, Mishima grew quiet, the only sound that could be heard was Ryuji's heavy breathing.

"Mishima..." Akira softly said, trying to reach a hand out at him.

Mishima locked eyes with him before turning away, his expression contorting into one of shame. He ran out the door in a frenzy, leaving it open behind him. Ryuji tried to run after him before stopping when he remembered Akira was still here.

"Shit!" he kicked the edge of the door with his shoe. "Fuck, I screwed that up badly, didn't I? I'm so sorry, Akira. I might've scared off a good witness for the case..."

Akira shook his head. "It's okay. He's been through a lot. We should give him some space before we try talking to him again."

Ryuji sighed, before turning to look at him. "Man, you're too selfless for your own good, you know that? I mean, I can understand that. I got pissed because he leaked your criminal record, after all, and had to run my mouth because of that."

"I know. I'm sorry for being reckless but I just had to do something. And for earlier, it's not your fault, Ryuji. I get that. We can fix this, okay?"

Akira wasn’t entirely confident in being able to convince Mishima in time. After all, he was only able to confess until Shiho actually jumped… which dawned on him suddenly that that was happening tomorrow. He suddenly felt panicked, sweating a bit on the spot as he thought about how to prevent such a thing.

 _Shit, it’s tomorrow, isn’t it?_ He was having a difficult time trying to steady the erratic heartbeat pounding out of his chest. _Calm down, we have her testimony, remember? As long as we don’t leave her alone today, then she won’t have to jump. We just have to protect her in the meantime so just calm down..._

They were both quiet for a bit, unsure of how to continue. Ryuji sighed again, scratching his head, as he walked towards Akira. He grabbed the ice pack and carefully placed it on his forehead once more, snapping Akira out of his internal predicament.

“Yeah, I really hope we can fix this,” he mumbled, absentmindedly. "But geez, selfless and reckless, huh? That's a pretty deadly combo. If you keep this up, one day it might really get you killed, you know?" Then, when he realized what he said, he added, "Shit, sorry, knock on wood though, bro. I don't want you dying on me because I said something stupid."

 _A little too late for that though, my friend,_ Akira thought, the irony of his words causing him to chuckle weakly under his breath. _Just a little too late…_

* * *

When lunchtime rolled around, Ann and Shiho bombarded Akira at the rooftop where they all promised to eat together. They've been worried sick ever since it happened, blowing up his phone with messages of concern.

"Are you sure you shouldn't lie down and rest first?" Ann asked, looking overly worried.

"I will, don't worry. I'll eat lunch first though," Akira said, untying the knot he made in his plastic bag. "Ryuji, let me borrow your lap as a pillow after."

"What? Why me? You know my thighs aren't exactly the softest one of the bunch here," Ryuji said, one eyebrow raised in surprise.

"But you're my friend, right? You can do this for me, won't you? It's what bros do, after all," he teased, nudging the blonde.

"What! No, I'm pretty sure only girls do that kinda' stuff!" he exclaimed, pushing Akira back.

He pretended to wince in pain, holding a hand to his shoulder. "Ow, ow."

"Shit, sorry!" Ryuji placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it a bit in comfort. "I didn't mean to do that."

"I'm just kidding but this means you'll let me use your thighs, right?" Akira smirked.

In response, Ryuji immediately scooted away from him, his expression a bit red. "Dude, stop messing with me! It sounds so weird if you say it like that!"

Akira, Ann and Shiho laughed together to Ryuji's dismay. He shovelled his sandwich into his mouth, eager to distract himself from his embarrassment.

Ann smacked Ryuji against the back, causing him to flinch. "It's only weird if you make it weird, idiot. Girls aren't the only ones that can give each other lap pillows."

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry! Seriously! Just let me eat in peace, please…"

Shiho placed a can beside Akira's plastic bag. "Here, Akira. It's oolong tea. It's supposed to be good for you. It’s a good thing I brought an extra one."

"Aw, thanks. That'll help a lot," he smiled at her. "I'll give you a rice ball as thanks."

"No, no, that's okay. You need to eat all you can to get better," she laughed, waving her hand in front of her. "But if you want, I don't mind letting you rest on my lap if Ryuji really doesn't want to."

"What, really?" Akira asked. He could see Ann twitch at the sound of that.

"Thank god. I'm saved," Ryuji sighed, which Ann smacked him again for.

"Thanks, Shiho but I'll see if I can't try to force Ryuji to take me. If he really won't budge, then I'll take up your offer. Platonically, of course!"

"Sure!" she giggled.

Ann let out a discreet sigh of relief which Akira smiled at. There was no doubt that Ann really cared about her. A lot. He wasn't so stupid to think that it was just a best friends thing, and it seemed to him that their feelings might have been mutual if only they properly talked about it. The two had a strong desire to protect the other but they've never really had the chance to be honest, not only about how they felt but among other things. Of course, it wasn't Akira's business to force them to talk but he knew it was only a matter of time before that would happen. Akira thought that he should probably clear up the misunderstanding about confessing to Shiho when he had the chance. He wouldn't want to stand in the way of the two.

"By the way, you're surprisingly pretty without your glasses, Akira," Ann said, changing the subject. "Like I know your face is banged up but you're still pretty, somehow?"

"I know, right? Who would've known he'd be good looking underneath the glasses and bangs exterior," Ryuji agreed, holding his chin with his index and thumb to study him.

"Even from here, I can tell your eyelashes are long. I'm so jealous about that, you have no idea," Ann pouted, moving her body forward to peer closer at Akira's face.

Shiho giggled at their comments. "I agree but isn't it hard to see without your glasses right now?"

"Not really. I don't actually need them. They're just my cover," Akira replied, popping a rice ball into his mouth.

"Like a disguise? What would you need that for?" Ryuji asked.

"Mm, to not stand out mostly. And it helps if I want to avoid eye contact or ignore people looking at me. It's surprisingly really convenient."

Everyone went quiet, seemingly sympathizing with Akira's words. Ann was watching him carefully before looking at the ground in contemplation. 

Shiho nodded slowly. "I get that. It's comforting to hide behind something when you just don't want to be seen. Like a mask of some sort."

"It's probably been really useful since people have been talking about you ever since you got here," Ryuji said. "If it weren't for the rumours, you'd just be another kid at school. No offense, of course."

"None taken," Akira chuckled. "Honestly, I would prefer that."

Another silence befell them which they all took the time to eat their lunches. They were all probably thinking the same thing, about wanting to be just another kid at school. Normal, probably. Unnoticed. No unwanted attention or weird rumour surrounding them.

They were all like that once, but of course, once things took for a turn, it's easy to look back and wish for older times. To long for the days where they didn't have to endure the whispers, the constant stares burning into them, following them wherever they may go. Living like that was exhausting, day after day, wondering just when they could catch a break or if people would finally let it go and forget about them.

But it wasn't like that with them. Being together with all four of them as a group, it felt safe. As if they could finally catch a long winded break where they could catch their breath and not have to worry about being judged or scorned. They felt it in the air that whenever they were together, things would be okay and that they were mutual in the way that they'd protect and look after each other. Akira felt that whenever he looked at the Phantom Thieves then: a bunch of troubled outcasts mistreated by society but despite that, choosing to band together to grow not only as a person but as a group, even going so far to say as a family. Because they could not only find solace in each other but also feel strengthened together and nothing could make Akira happier than that.

"You know, I still can't believe Kamoshida just did that… It all happened so fast," Ann said, quietly. "Is it… is it always like that at practice for you, Shiho?"

Shiho looked up at her and slowly nodded, her face solemn.

"He did that on purpose. I could tell he did," Ryuji said. "I was watching him. Every single volley, spike or serve he did earlier was precise. I mean, he was in the Olympics. It only makes sense."

"God, it's so cruel, exerting force whenever he wants," Ann shook her head. "I really hope he hasn't done that to you, Shiho. He hasn't right?"

"I…"

Before Shiho could respond, a familiar loud meow interrupted them. They all turned their heads to find Morgana happily trotting towards them.

"What the―Morgana?!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"Meow!" the cat beamed before stopping in front of Akira, tilting his head at him. "Meow?"

"Hey, buddy. Good to see you," he reached out to pet Morgana's head, placing his lunchbox aside on the ground. He watched the cat eye the injuries on his face, his eyes softening. "Oh, um, I got this from saving Mishima earlier. He was gonna' get spiked to the face unless I did something. But don't worry, the nurse said I didn't fracture anything. Good thing I'm hard headed, huh?"

"You idiot, you need to worry about yourself more," Ryuji sighed.

"Agreed, you could've gotten seriously injured," Ann added.

Morgana quietly looked at him before climbing on Akira, standing on his hind legs to pat him on the head. He licked his face softly, careful to not touch the bandaged areas.

"Looks like Morgana's worried about you," Shiho said.

Akira felt touched and hugged the cat, carefully nuzzling his face in the cat's chest. "I'm sorry, I'll be more careful next time."

Morgana meowed softly before shrinking down on Akira's lap, pawing at Akira's face every so often.

"So, you let Morgana run about now, huh?" Ryuji said, smiling at the sight of them. "I'm surprised he knew where to find us."

"Well, he does have good senses for a cat." _That and this was our old hangout spot, of course._

"He really is a good boy," Shiho giggled, scooting over to pet the cat.

Akira felt his phone vibrate and took it out to find Akechi's text.

**Sherlockechi: Good afternoon. I'm by the front gate of the school at the moment but I'm afraid I might be in a bit of a pickle.**

**Sherkockechi: Can I ask you to help me out?**

_Oh, he's here?_ Akira thought. Perhaps he had some time to start questioning the teachers today. That would be perfect so they could get some more concrete evidence for the case. It would be good to touch base, too, regarding the witnesses Akira's secured. He wondered what kind of dilemma Akechi was facing at the front of the school though?

"I'll… be… right… down…" Akira muttered, texting him quickly before shoving the phone back in his pocket. He made to stand up, Morgana nimbly jumping off his lap. "Sorry, guys. Akechi's at the front of the school. I gotta' go grab him."

"What, really? Now?" Ryuji asked, his body straightening up.

"The detective?" Shiho looked at him curiously.

"Yeah, I think he might be here to question the teachers. For now, I'll bring him up here to meet you guys."

"Wait, so you guys already know about Akira's investigation… about Kamoshida?" Ann asked, looking back and forth between Shiho and Ryuji.

"Yeah… He told us about how Akechi’s investigating him and needed testimonies from people. Like me and Shiho..." Ryuji looked up at Akira and Shiho, to which they both nodded. If they wanted to tell Ann about what happened so far, he wasn't one to stop them. It would probably be better this way anyway if everyone was on the same page, especially if Ann knew about Shiho's situation. It'll probably be hard to hear but he felt that she should at least know if they were to protect one another.

Akira made his way out the door, watching as Morgana meowed once at him before going towards Shiho. He skipped down the long winding steps of stairs until he reached the first floor and out the doors of the lobby. He scanned the area before he spotted Akechi hidden at the alleyway, beckoning him to come.

It was only then that Akira remembered Sojiro's words last night about Akechi.

 _He remembers me, doesn’t he…?_ His heart began pounding at the thought of it before he shook his head. _No, focus, Akira. You have a job to do._

Akechi beamed at the sight of him, before his face eyed the bandages on his face and his expression became more concerned.

"Kurusu? What happened to you?" he asked, stepping closer to inspect him clearly.

"Oh, um, a volleyball rally happened," Akira said. When it didn't seem like he was satisfied with that answer, he continued. "... A student looked like he was about to get spiked on the face by Kamoshida so I pushed him and got hit instead. Nothing's fractured or anything and the guy's okay, so it's all good."

Akechi was quiet for a bit, his face indecipherable. Akira felt a bit uncomfortable with the silence and had to look away to avoid his gaze. 

Was he angry? Or concerned? He wasn't really sure. It was always hard to tell with Goro Akechi, after all.

_Please say something already. This silence is killing me._

Just when Akira was about to break the silence, Akechi only sighed deeply, before he carefully brushed his gloved hand over his cheek. Akira had to hold his breath when he did, suddenly aware of how close the detective was to him.

"You're always so reckless, aren't you?" he muttered quietly. "Just like the time with Suzui… Why do you throw yourself in front of every person who faces danger in front of you?"

Akira thought he might have been just imagining it but hearing that sounded almost as if he was asking him about that time, in the engine room. 

_Why did you throw yourself in front of me to save my life back then?_

This was what Akira was afraid of, this burning question that seemed to haunt him every time he so much as thought about that day.

But that's not what he was asking for right now.

"Because I can," Akira said, looking at Akechi right in the eye. "And I know for a fact that if I don't do just that, then no one will."

They held each other’s gaze for a good while. Akechi’s eyes were hard but searching Akira’s for something he wasn’t sure of. Answers. The truth, perhaps. But that was all he was going to get from him for now. Finally, Akechi looked away, sighing once more as he slowly withdrew his hand from his face.

"How foolish," he said, shaking his head. "But I can’t stop you no matter what I say, can I?"

"No, you can’t," Akira huffed in pride, smirking at him.

"I'm not sure that's something to be so proud of," Akechi said, sounding annoyed. "Can you at least keep it in moderation for now? Please?"

"Okay," he said. "I'm sorry."

He laughed dryly. "You're really not."

"Well, that’s all I got so you'll just have to accept that," Akira sighed, crossing his arms. "So, what's the holdup that you can't get inside the school? Worried about being seen?"

 _Oh wait, that's dumb. I probably just answered my question,_ he thought.

"That's right, Kurusu. If you didn't already know, I'm kind of on television often? And sometimes, when someone's on television, people like to swarm them and ask for autographs. Or photographs. Or both," Akechi smiled, as if he wasn't totally mocking Akira right now. It seems like his answer must have ticked him off earlier, although he wasn’t entirely sure why. Maybe it was because of how stubborn Akira was, or how reckless he acted, either way Akechi seemed content with taking it out on him at the moment.

"You're such an asshole, you know that? Now I don't feel like helping you anymore," Akira turned away, making for the school.

"Oh, but you will. You can't afford to lose me now, can you?" He hated how absolutely sure he was of that.

Akira stopped in his tracks and sighed in an irritated fashion. He really couldn't afford to lose him. As difficult as he can be, he was, quite literally, the only person he could rely on right now. And he's certain Akechi knows this, maybe even revels in it somehow.

_Fine, you want to be difficult? I can be difficult, too._

"Okay, but you're not complaining no matter what I'm about to do to you right now," Akira swiveled around and walked towards Akechi, who was surprisingly backing away at the sight of him.

"Wait, what are you going to do? Kurusu?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly turning shrill towards the end. "What is that? What are you―"

"Be quiet," Akira said before he took out the glasses in his pocket and carefully placed them on Akechi’s face, tucking the rear handles behind his ear. He then ruffled his hair as hard as he could, taking two handfuls of it and shaking it around every which way. Akechi was trying to get him to stop, attempting to pull his hands away to no avail. His hair was pretty much silky to the touch and smelled of honeydew, sweet and mildly fruit. When he was finally satisfied, Akira stepped back to admire his work―which suffice to say was an ugly abomination. "I now dub thee, Akira the Second. Welcome, my kin."

Akira snickered at the sight of him. No longer was Goro Akechi the Charming standing there. Thanks to Akira's valiant efforts, he was now as aloof as he could possibly be. Because his hair was longer than Akira's, having it more ruffled than usual caused it to look like a mophead. His thick-rimmed glasses helped obscure half of his face, which helped make him look as plain as possible. It was just like the time at the cafe Akechi took him to in his other life. Akira thought now was as good a time as any to mess with him, and for good purpose, too, since clearly he was somewhat mad at him.

"I'm sorry but you look kind of like a stereotypical otaku right now," Akira giggled, struggling to hold back his laughter. _He just needs to wear that blue argyle vest he always wears and he'd fit right in Akihabara._

"I think it’d be a good idea to keep the halfwitted comments to yourself right now, hm?" Akechi said, trying to hold back the annoyance in his voice but failing. "And don't even think about taking a photo of me, _dear_ Akira."

Akira just laughed even more at the fact that he chose now to call him by his first name, when he was the most annoyed and looked just about ready to grab him by the throat. The thought was so amusing to him that he didn’t even mind the sudden change. He doesn’t think he’s ever openly seen him drop his facade, just to be so annoyed and rough with him. There was that time where he admitted he hated him, then challenged him to a duel and threw his glove in his face. Akira was so surprised about the sudden honesty that he found himself even more intrigued with Akechi. He thought it would be good for him if only he could let loose and allowed himself to be more honest often.

"I won't, I won't! I'll stop laughing, too, just give me a sec," Akira took a moment to calm down, wiping tears out of his eyes. "Okay, phew, I'm good. Shall we then, Akira the―"

"God, let's just go already," Akechi growled, walking past him and heading towards the school.

Akira snickered as he ran to catch up to him. As they walked up the steps inside, no one seemed to be paying them any attention. The few that did glance by seemed to be giving them weird looks. Akira was struggling to hold back his laughter the whole way.

"I can't believe this is working," the mophead detective muttered under his breath.

"I can't believe it either. I mean, you'd think they'd recognize your uniform and briefcase but I guess not," Akira said, smiling to himself. "But at least like this, you can relax every now and then, right? No one will have to 'swarm' you for photos and stuff."

"I suppose so," he said. He thought he saw Akechi smiling a little at that.

"Feel free to thank me for it."

"No, thank you." Akira laughed at how quickly his reply came at that. "And just so you know, I will get you back for this."

"Um… please don't?" Akira said nervously.

"Why not? You only brought this upon yourself, Akira," he said, smiling in his usual charming manner. Even with the disguise on, he knew that it was the tv show smile and that, usually, did not mean good things. “Who knows? We’re awfully similar in height and build. Maybe I’ll just have you replace me in my school to make up for all my absences.

“Really? Do you really want me to do that?” Akira raised an eyebrow at him. “Like do you _really,_ really want me to do that? Because I can guarantee you that it might not end well.”

“It’ll be good practice for your acting ‘skills’. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind if someone saw through your disguise and you got in trouble for it. It’ll be amusing. For me, at least.”

“And just who was the one who didn’t want me to get expelled again?”

The two laughed together lightheartedly, as if they weren’t just making dumb gibes at each other.

When they finally got to the rooftop, Akira took back his glasses and helped Akechi smooth his hair down before they walked through the door. Everyone looked up at the sight of them, who seemed to be deep in conversation. Morgana, who was sitting in Ann’s lap, immediately sat up, his ears flicking up.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I’m sorry for interrupting your lunch break,” Akechi smiled, any hint of his earlier annoyance was put past him. “My name is Goro Akechi, apprentice detective and currently in my third year of high school. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

Ryuji and Ann both look awestruck, their mouth’s agape with incredulity. Shiho was the first to greet him, smiling warmly at him.

“It’s so good to see you, Akechi-senpai. I’m Suzui Shiho,” she stood up to bow awkwardly at him, fidgeting with her hands.

“Oh, no need to use formalities. That kind of puts me in a strange position,” he laughed, waving his hand. “It’s good to see Akira has already made a few friends. Frankly, I was a bit worried.”

“That’s what Sojiro said, too. Geez, you guys have no faith in me, whatsoever, huh?” Akira frowned which only made Akechi laugh again. “Anyways, that’s Ryuji Sakamoto there, and Ann Takamaki with Morgana.”

“H-Hey...” Ryuji muttered a soft reply, still a bit speechless.

Ann managed to recover herself, smacking Ryuji subtly. “Sorry about him. It’s good to meet you, too, Akechi. Why don’t you sit down with us?”

“Oh, if that’s quite alright with you all.” Akechi and Akira both joined their mini circle on the floor, with Akira settling in front of his lunchbox and Shiho moving aside to make room for them. The detective sat down cross legged, placing his briefcase on his lap. “Mmm, all your lunches smell good. I’m afraid I haven’t had the time to eat yet today as work was really busy.”

“Really? Here, have some of my rice balls, then,” Akira slid his lunchbox in front of the detective. “I made a lot today.”

“I see you’ve been making good use of Boss’ kitchen,” smiled Akechi as he happily ate one, looking mildly impressed. “It’s good. Thanks, Akira.”

“You want an extra sandwich? It’s yakisoba flavoured,” Ryuji placed a sandwich pack beside Akira’s lunchbox.

Akechi looked even more impressed, his eyes widening at that. "Thank you, Sakamoto. You didn’t have to but I appreciate that.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s the least I can do after knowing that you’re taking on Kamoshida with Akira. Which like, we’re all really grateful for. Seriously,” he smiled.

“It’s true. Everyone here has agreed to be a witness for the case. Which I have made a proper list of so far but I’m still currently working on a few people,” Akira took out a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to the detective. “I tried to convince everyone I could, but I didn’t want to force anyone to do something they didn’t. I’m sorry.”

Akechi glanced at Akira before taking the paper, reading over the list. Most of the names were circled, indicating that their testimony was usable. Some of them were asterisked, which meant they needed further convincing and others were crossed out if they weren’t willing to come forward. Otherwise, Akira thought the case was at a good position right now. If Akechi was able to convince some of the teachers to testify against Kamoshida then it would boost his conviction even more. As long as the judge was fair and had good moral understanding, then even they wouldn’t be able to deny the sheer amount of witnesses that came forward for this.

“Not at all. You’ve worked hard, haven’t you, partner? Really, this might be just more than enough to secure his verdict,” Akechi admitted, his voice full of appreciation. He looked up at them, smiling warmly. “Thank you all for lending me your help. I promise I will put an end to Kamoshida’s reign at this school. None of you have to suffer at his hands anymore.”

Shiho nodded, looking at him with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “No, we should be thanking you two. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to proceed with this case and yet, you’re both trying your best. I will do whatever I can to support you guys in this.”

Ryuji nodded, a look of determination on his face. “Same here. If you need me to testify 100 times, just say the word. I’ll help you guys out, no matter what, okay? So you can use me as much as you want.”

Akechi chuckled, his voice light. “I don’t believe it’ll come to that many but thank you, nonetheless. Both of you.”

Ann, who was quiet this whole time, turned warily at Shiho, her expression dejected. “So it’s really happening. I know what you guys told me earlier, and I just… I’m so relieved… about all this… but I’m also mad at myself because I didn’t know. About you, Shiho. I knew something was wrong but I didn’t―”

“Ann, it’s okay! It’s not your fault, I couldn’t tell you anything because I was scared. We both were…” Shiho moved closer to Ann and embraced her tight. “I’ll protect you, okay? I won’t let him near us ever again, I swear. I swear...”

“That’s supposed to be my line, dummy,” Ann chuckled weakly, who started sobbing in Shiho’s shoulder.

The two began crying on the spot, with Morgana caught up in the middle who was frantically trying to comfort them, meowing in a concerned manner. Ryuji made his way over to them, patting Ann’s back and offering her tissues.

Akechi seemed to be transfixed on them, watching them sympathetically. He shifted on his seat awkwardly, as if he wasn’t sure whether to comfort them, too, or to stay put. He glanced at Akira, a strange mix of worry and confusion on his face. Akira only gave him a comforting smile and shook his head silently. It was probably better to let them be and cry it out. Akechi nodded and looked back at them, watching quietly.

 _You’re doing some good, Akechi. You have to know that, right?_ Akira thought, finding himself staring at him absentmindedly. _I still don’t know what your purpose is in all this, but right now it doesn’t matter. You’re with us. And you’re not alone anymore. This time, we want you here―we need you. And you need us. You don’t have to lie or betray anyone anymore just to be acknowledged. I’m here, aren’t I? I’ll do it all properly this time so you can rely on me as much as you want. So please, just, don’t go off on your own anymore. You don’t need to be by yourself this time, okay?_

As if he read his mind, Akechi’s eyes flickered towards his momentarily, locking eyes together once more. He gave him a curious look before smiling warmly at him, his eyes crinkling around the edges. A real smile, it seems. It was blinding, unlike anything Akira’s ever seen. He found himself drawn to it, feeling his face warm up slowly the longer he looked at him.

"What's wrong?" Akechi asked.

"No, it's nothing," Akira chuckled, shaking his head. "Just thought my telepathy actually worked for a moment."


End file.
